Jeff Clarke has been a winemaker in Marlborough New Zealand for decades, starting at one of the companies that pioneered the Sauvignon Blanc of the region, Montana Wines. Jeff is an award-winning, world famous winemaker who is now at OTU Wine Estate in the Awatere Valley and I discovered his wines through Wine Access — his Sauvignon Blanc was unlike any other Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc I’ve had! I had to have him on to discuss this unique style and what is going on in the region.

Jeff Clarke, head winemkaer at O:TU Wines. Credit: O:TU Wines

Jeff is an expert in the wine of Marlborough and at OTU, he makes very terroir specific wines, which represent the evolution of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and the other wines of this region. 

If you like the general style of these Sauvignon Blancs but you want to taste a more refined, elegant, herbal, and nuanced version — here is your shot! After you hear the show, you'll want to seek O:TU wines immediately.

Credit: O:TU Wines

Full show notes and all trip details are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. I found O:TU Wines on Wine Access and even included them in my co-branded wine club with Wine Access  www.wineaccess.com/normal

If you want to find other wines like O:TU go to my page at www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

You’ll be able to tell how much I loved Campania/Irpinia by how  enthusiastic I am in the show. If you don’t know the wines of this underrated region, you need to begin your exploration immediately. Fiano, Greco, and Aglianico make some of the best wines in the world, and yet for various reasons, they don’t get the credit they deserve. Maybe if we, as wine lovers, show more interest, the mainstream and retailers will get the idea that these are significant wines that need more attention. Grass roots wine love! Let’s change things for Campania!

Here is a list of the producers I visited:

• DiMeo
  
  
• Petilia
  
  
• Feudi di San Gregorio
  
  
• Mastroberardino

Full show notes and all trip details are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This show is a recap of a the recent trip through Tuscany that my travel partner, Tourissimo, and I organized for a group of 19 Patrons (join Patreon so you can make the next one!). We go through the major DOCGs/DOCs we visited and I share some interesting things I learned and observed. A great one for armchair travel!

Here are the DOCGs we explored:

• Vernaccia di San Gimignano
• Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
• Chianti Classico
• Brunello di Montalcino
• Morellino di Scansano

And the DOCs Maremma and Bolgheri

My big takeaway from the trip: I am more optimistic than ever about Tuscan wines, which just keep getting better and better. If you don’t have experience with these wines, I would recommend checking them out (especially if you like Italian food since what grows together, goes together!).

Chianti Classico, view from Castello Brolio, Ricasoli 1141.
Credit: Wine For Normal People

A few shout outs! 

1. To Heather, Beppe, and Silvia from Tourissimo, for being the best partners ever!  
   
2. To Wine Access for hooking us up with some great visits to Castello Romitorio and San Filippo
   
   

3. Hotel della Fortezza and Fidalma -- go see them in Sorano for a great stay and a great meal! 

Full show notes and all trip details are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Alert: David is so awesome that he has offered us a discount on your purchase of GlasVin! Use code: WINEFORNORMALPEOPLE  for 10% off (Patrons, please see Patreon for a deeper discount!)

We have never before had on a glassware producer because, in the past, it has been a very limited field. One company dominated and sometimes their products made no sense because, like many things in wine, there were too many options and not enough differentiation for normal wine drinkers. 

https://glas.vin/

But in recent years new glassware companies have burst onto the scene. I’ve tried many, many of those glasses, but the only one that actually captured my attention and that I decided to use as more than a sample was GlasVin. They are very light, very thin, and yet more durable than some of their competitors.

GlasVin was founded in 2020 by David Kong, who left his job at a hedge fund to start the company and today, his mission is to deliver handcrafted glasses at affordable prices. He was a Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient in 2022 and today he joins to tell us about the glassware industry and how he created what I think are the best new glasses to hit the market.

David Kong, CEO of GlasVin

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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This week we see if there are any wines that can stand up to Mexican food. As with all our episodes like this, we ordered a lot of traditional Mexican and TexMex dishes that included common ingredients. Then we paired up wines that are most commonly recommended, plus a few that I think may be good options that most people don't talk about. 

Photo credit: Canva

As we always do, we went through lots of wine and food combos and some really nasty pairings to get the results. True to form, conventional wisdom mostly failed us and what worked really well sort of surprised us.

Although we all have different preferences and palates, this show may give you an idea of what works with Mexican and the reasons why. I always find it particularly interesting to sit down and test these recommended pairings because often I think the people recommending them are pairing based on theory, rather than on reality. Take a listen, test it out, see for yourself. 

Full show notes are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

One of the confusing things about wine is that often we can identify a wine and the basic facts about it -- we may have even tasted it -- but because it’s not obvious, we don’t know the grapes behind the wine. Although I bet you've heard of Tokaji, the great sweet wine of Hungary, you may not be familiar with Furmint, the main white grape that makes the wine sing and that usually makes up 85-90% of the blend of Tokaji.

What you also may not know is that this grape is not just for sweet wines. Starting around the year 2000, ambitious, creative producers began a quest to make quality dry wine from the grape and have had a quite a lot of success over the last 20+ years.

In this show we discuss Furmint, the white grape native to Tokaj-Hegyalia wine region of northeastern Hungary, that makes everything from simple bone-dry wine to complex oak-aged versions, to sparkling wine, to the classic botrytized sweet wines, Tokaji.

Full show notes are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

Photo: The Furmint grape. Credit: Wines of Hungary

Podcast Sources:

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Bruno Corneaux is the proprietor at Domaine Divio in the heart of the Ribbon Ridge AVA in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. 

Bruno Corneaux of Domaine Divio. Photo credit: Domaine Divio

As it is in his native home outside of Beaune in Burgundy, Bruno is a true vigneron at the Domaine– caring for both the vineyards and the cellar. His wines are among the best I have tasted from Willamette, with a combination of elegance, fruit, and earthy, spicy notes in both the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The wines are distinctly Oregon in character, but with a nod to the acidity and structure of the wines of Burgundy.

We discuss his history, his philosophy, Oregon, and his lovely wines. A great show, pretty dorky, with some good controversial topics (you may know my feelings on Oregon...) Domaine Divio is not distributed in the US, so you can get the wines at domainedivio.com and you won’t regret it!

Photo: The sign of Domaine Divio outside the tasting room. Credit: Wine For Normal People

Full show notes are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

_________________________________________________________

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again.  The best, wine the best selection – this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access – their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Comté is an ancient cooked and pressed cheese made from raw milk. It's made using special breeds of cows, and in designated places with historic and cultural significance. The high quality is well regarded, as evidenced by the fact that Comté is the most consumed AOC/PDO cheese in France.

I welcome communications director for Comté, Aurélia Chimier, and Jean-Louis Carbonnier of Carbonnier Communications who does communications for Comté in the US, along with other clients – he has been on the show before talking about (Chateau Palmer).

We dig into this wonderful cheese that has striking similarities to wine in terroir, craftsmanship, and cultural significance. This was a nice stroll into another, related part of the culinary world. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Please visit https://comte-usa.com/ for more information

Here is a link to the podcast I did with the cheese master that I mention in the show.

Full show notes are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

_________________________________________________________

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again.  The best, wine the best selection – this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access – their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Hailing from the southern Côtes du Rhône, Tavel is a 100% rosé AOC and is one of the only rosé only AOCs in France. It is the darkest rosé made and it is in a different class of wine, more similar to the clairets of old (light reds) than the rosés of the modern day.

Photo: Chateau de Trinquevedel, Credit Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Importer

Located across the Rhône from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, just north of Avignon this small region makes what many writers have called a fourth type of still wine. These wines are dark in color, and bold in flavor with bright minerality, a touch of tannin, a round body, and intense fruit and herbal notes.  Using a blend of uniquely Rhône grapes, it relies not just on reds but on whites, which are co-fermented to generate complexity and maintain acidity. Unlike many rosés, these wines can age for years or decades and improve with time.

With multiple soil types, and a legacy that dates back to the Avignon Popes, this wine is no ordinary rosé. It deserves its place among the greatest wines in the world, and after you hear this (and taste the wine) you’ll be sure to agree!

Photo: Vins-Rhone

Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

Sources used:

Rosés of Southern France by Elizabeth Gabay and Ben Bernheim

Vins-Rhone

Syndicat Viticole de l’Appellation Tavel

Elizabeth Gabay MW on what makes Tavel rosé so different, The Buyer

Wines of the Rhône by Matt Walls

_________________________________________________________

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again.  The best, wine the best selection – this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access – their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This week we explore the Mencía grape of northwestern Spain, and northern Portugal, where it is called Jaen. This is a grape variety that hasn’t strayed far from home, as almost all plantings of it are in this corner of the Iberian Peninsula.

Although it is likely native to Portugal, Spain grows more than three times what Portugal grows and the grape has become the flagship of a number of revived regions that are building back their international reputations for exceptional wine from this singular grape that tastes a little like a lot of things but nothing like anything you’ve ever had 🤣.

Silky, fruity, earthy, refreshing, yet perfumed and elegant, Mencía is an unbelievable grape and one that you will have you clamoring for more once you give it a try! 

Photo credit SanchoPanzaXXI - CC BY-SA 3.0 Mencia in Ribeira Sacra, Spain

Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

_________________________________________________________

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again.  The best, wine the best selection – this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access – their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

The Côte de Nuits lies between the city of Dijon in the north and hamlet of Nuits-Saint-Georges in the south (from which the Côte takes its name). In this small area, you will find most famed, expensive, and best Pinot Noir on earth. Most producers make less than 1,000 cases of wine a year and the prices boggle the mind.

Map: Vins-Bourgogne

This time we jump right in and cover the communes south of Gevrey-Chambertin. These regions include vineyards that produce some of the most famed and expensive wines in the world. We cover:

• Morey-Saint-Denis and its Grands Crus
• Chambolle-Musigny and its Grands Crus
• Vougeot and its Grand Cru
• Flagey-Échezeaux and its Grands Crus
• Vosne-Romanée and its Grand Crus
• Nuits-Saint-Georges

We reference these podcasts in the show:

• Ep 464: The Côte de Nuits of Bourgogne (Burgundy), Part 1
• Ep 445: Côte de Beaune, Part 1
• Ep 446: Côte de Beaune, Part 2 
  
  

Here's a map of the Côte de Nuits to reference during the show

Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

_________________________________________________________

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again.  The best, wine the best selection – this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access – their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Sources:

• The Vins de Bourgogne site
• The Oxford Encyclopedia of Wine, Jancis Robinson, et al
• The World Atlas of Wine, Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson
• The Wines of Burgundy, Clive Coates, MW

This week’s show covers the Côte de Nuits: the northern part of Côte d’Or, the famed ‘golden slope’ of Burgundy.

Map: Vins de Bourgogne

The Côte de Nuits lies between the city of Dijon in the north and hamlet of Nuits-Saint-Georges in the south (from which the Côte takes its name). In this small area, you will find most famed, expensive, and best Pinot Noir on earth. Most producers make less than 1,000 cases of wine a year and the prices boggle the mind.

Like the Côte de Beaune, this is a big topic with so much nuance. Because you can never be reminded enough times, we review the history, geography, and climate of the Côte d’Or, with an emphasis on the Côte de Nuits. After this, we start our way down the Côte de Nuits (and don’t make it too far!) we cover: 

• Haute Côte de Nuits
• Côte de Nuits-Village
• Marsannay
• Fixin
• Gevrey-Chambertin and its Grand Crus
  • Link to a map of the Grands Crus of Gevrey Chambertin

We reference these podcasts in the show:

• Ep 445: Côte de Beaune, Part 1
• Ep 446: Côte de Beaune, Part 2
• Ep 227: Derek Van Dam, CNN Weatherman on Weather and Wine
• Ep 424: David Morrison, PhD, of the Wine Gourd (wine and health

Here's a map of the Côte de Nuits to reference during the show

Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

_________________________________________________________

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again.  Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. And join my wine club. Click here to sign up!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Sources:

• The Vins de Bourgogne site
• The Oxford Encyclopedia of Wine, Jancis Robinson, et al
• The Wines of Burgundy, Clive Coates, MW

Our antipodean correspondent, Simone Madden-Grey joins the podcast again (man, scheduling over the last few years has been hard!)!  She gets us up to speed on one of the exciting trends in Australian wine right now: alternative varieties (like Fiano, Vermentino, Tempranillo, and more!)

We define alternative varieties, discuss the impetus for this movement, and the proof points for the movement being more than a fad.  We discuss the importance of the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show.

We cover:

• Current forces challenging Australian wine in general – China, difficulties in the US market, and some challenges with alternative varieties with Italy, specifically

• Key regions (GIs – geographical indications) that are making great alternative varieties – Riverland, Murray-Darling, and Beechworth, among others.

Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

_____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again.  Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. And join my wine club. Click here to sign up!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This episode presents our first ever producer on from the northern Rhône – Aurelien Chirat from Vignobles Chirat.

Photo: Aurelien Chirat. Credit: WFNP

Located in the steep terraced slopes overlooking the Rhone, in the village of Saint Michel sur Rhône, Vignobles Chirat began in 1925 when Benoit Chirat harvested his first Syrah at the Domaine. In 1948, his son George joined and worked with Benoit until 1970. Viognier was planted on their site in Condrieu in 1980 and the real changes to the domaine happened when, in 1984, Gilbert Chirat took over the domain. Within 6 years of his taking the reins, he stopped all the polyculture on the estate and focused only on Syrah and Viognier.

The family moved from focusing on Condrieu, to the wines of Saint Joseph, and then added Côte Rôtie. Aurelien Chirat joined his father in 2012, after completing his studies and working in New Zealand, Burgundy and the south of France. We welcome Aurelien, who I had the pleasure of meeting and spending a lot of time with last year, at the Domaine, learning, and discovering all sorts of things about the northern Rhone I didn’t know.

As always, we discuss, land, winemaking, history, and tradition. For full show notes, join our membership community, Patreon.

Here are the wines we discuss:

• From Condrieu: Clos Poncin, Les Chays , Sous L'Eglise, Viognier “Or Piste”
• From St. Joseph: Soliste, La Côte, Syrah “Or Piste “
• Côte Rôtie

Photo:  Chirat Condrieu. Credit: WFNP

In the US, many of the wines are available in Total Wine because Chirat works with the negociant business of Laurent Delaunay, who has been on the podcast.

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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. This time we have the WFNP/Wine Access Wine Club! Sign up today to get 6 bottles I select once a quarter. Excellent wines that represent classic examples of the wine region from which they hail.

Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. Wine Access is a class act -- check them out today! 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, full show notes, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Here's the of Alternatives to Chardonnay list from the show! 

Photo: Chardonnay grapes. Credit: Getty images via Canva

• Alsace Pinot blanc or Alto Adige Pinot bianco
• Dry Chenin Blanc from Loire – Savennieres (more than Vouvray)
• Sancerre (same soils)
• Muscadet – lees aging
• Godello from Valdeorras or Ribeira Sacra

Bourgogne style –More floral, fuller, neutral to medium oak, malolactic fermentation -- full or part, mineral driven, herbal

• Pecorino – Marche, Abruzzo
• Soave
• Fiano
• Avesso from Vinho Verde
• Lisboa blends – Fernao Pires blends
• White Rhône blends – especially with Roussanne or Marsanne as the lead (viognier is too peachy, Grenache blanc too herbal)
• Gamay – Beaujolais
• New world Chenin Blanc – old vine from CA or South Africa

Heavier – oak, fuller bodied, peachy, tropical, bready (lees influence)

• White Rioja
• White Priorat and CndP – big wines
• Aged Hunter Valley Semillon (Australia, New South Wales)
• Possibly Grüner Veltliner because of the melon, tropical notes, smooth body but a little too “green” for a Chardonnay substitute

Sparkling  (hard to find a substitute!) we recommend:

• Crémant de Loire (Chenin)
• Crémant de Alsace (Pinot Blanc)

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Thanks to our sponsors:

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Wines Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Check out my favorite wines on the page at www.wineaccess.com/normal, sign up for their daily emails, and join one of their wine clubs...AND get 10% your first order!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please consider virtually buying us some bottles by becoming a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Map: Sonoma County AVAs. Sonoma County Winegrowers 

Over the last 12 years we’ve done so much on Sonoma but I realized that we’ve never done a podcast outlining the areas of Sonoma to give form to this wine paradise that has 18 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) and covers more than a million acres of land (405,000 ha) of which more than 60,000 acres are planted to grapes.

Sonoma is still full of small, family-owned vineyards. It’s estimated that at least 85% of Sonoma County’s vineyards are family owned and operated and 80% of vineyards are less than 100 acres (40% are less than 20 acres). The Sonoma landscape incorporates coastal ranges, valleys, mountains, flats, benchlands, and innumerable soils and microclimates, including a multitude of producers with different styles and ideas of what to grow.  

In this show, we try to compartmentalize the areas of Sonoma, to help you figure out the big areas and their specialties.

Here are the show notes:

We start with generalities…

• Climate: There are sunny days and almost no rain from May through September with most areas cooler near the coast and warmer inland. The Pacific Ocean/Petaluma Gap and San Pablo Bay serve as cooling influences for the western and southern regions of Sonoma County
• Land: Elevations and slopes slow ripening, provide poor soils with excellent drainage, and create complex wines. Wines from valley floors are simpler. Matching grape to site is important given soil, elevation, and climate diversity.
• Grapes: Everyone grows everything! You’ll find dozens of varieties growing in Sonoma.

Moon Mountain AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers 

Most of the show is spent detailing the valleys. Here is the quick and dirty on each area:

Sonoma Valley

Sonoma Valley AVA: Centers on the Sonoma Valley in the southeastern part of the county. It gets cool air from the San Pablo Bay in the south, and protection from the cool influence of the Pacific in the west from Sonoma Mountain. There are dozens of different soils from very fertile on the valley floor, to well-drained and poor on the hills and mountains

Sonoma Valley has 4 AVAs within it: Moon Mountain, Sonoma Mountain, Bennett Valley, Carneros

• Moon Mountain District AVA is on the steep western slope of the Mayacamas Mountains. It has the famed Monte Rosso vineyard and specializes in Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Sonoma Mountain AVA is at high altitude, with steep vineyards on eastern exposures. The vineyards rise above the fog line, allowing grapes to ripen more fully in the sunlight. Basalt soils make good Cabernet Sauvignon. Other grapes are: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel

• Bennett Valley AVA is Sonoma Valley’s smallest AVA. It’s a series of small vineyards in the slopes, hills, and ridges between Taylor Mountain, Sonoma Mountain, and Bennett Peak. In the moderately cool climate, with a long hang time, Rhône varieties do well as does Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and grapes like Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier with acidity. Pinot Noir acreage is increasing.

• Los Carneros AVA straddles Napa and Sonoma counties. It hugs the San Pablo Bay, and is one of the coolest AVAs in the area, with moderately cool and windy days and early morning fog. The soil is compressed clay and very consistent, this and the weather limits vigor. Chardonnay is 50%, Pinot 43%. Merlot makes excellent wine on the clay soils.

Bennett Valley AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers 

Town to stay in if visiting the area: Sonoma

** Sonoma Valley is a discrete part of the larger Sonoma County. When producers use a general AVA for grapes from a combined region, it’s Sonoma County.

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Sonoma Coast AVA: Goes from the San Pablo Bay to the border of Mendocino County in the north. This appellation is too large to have meaning – it can be cold and rugged near the coast or warm and sheltered inland, producing very different styles of wine. The expectation is that the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that have the “Sonoma Coast” label are actually from coastal vineyards, but that’s not true. We tell the story of how this AVA got to be so muddled and then talk about the 3 AVAs that were set up to rectify the issue:

• Petaluma Gap AVA: 25 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, the AVA runs from the Pacific Coast at Bodega Bay, southeast to San Pablo Bay, and has a mild Mediterranean climate. The defining feature is the wind gap in the coastal range, which funnels in cool coastal marine air bringing fog and cool afternoon breezes. The cool climate lower yields and help Pinot Noir (75% of plantings), Chardonnay and Syrah the grapes retain acidity.
• The West Sonoma Coast AVA (got it in 2022): Stretches from the Mendocino County border to the northern coastal border of the Petaluma Gap AVA. The area includes ONLY areas where coastal influence reaches – it is remote with cooler marine temperatures and much fog at elevation. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the main grapes.
• Fort Ross-Seaview AVA: Located on the outskirts of the Pacific Ocean, with major coastal influence, and high elevation, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay have excellent acidity.

Towns to stay in: Petaluma, Jenner, Bodega Bay

West Sonoma Coast AVA,  Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers 

Russian River Valley AVA is known for Pinot Noir. The constant cooling fog from the Pacific Ocean, coming from the Petaluma Wind Gap creates big diurnal swings, so grapes have a long growing season to develop flavor in the western part of the AVA.

The reality is that the Russian River Valley encompasses warm and cool areas. There are 5 Neighborhoods within Russian River Valley, which are used to discuss the cooler places that are more suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (Laguna Ridge, Sebastapol Hills, parts of the Middle Reach) and those that are suited to warmer climate grapes like Rhône varieties, Zinfandel, and Italian varieties (parts of the Middle Reach, Santa Rosa Plains, Eastern Hills)

• Green Valley of Russian River Valley SUB AVA of Russian River is in the southwestern part of the Russian River Valley, surrounded by Sebastopol, Forestville and Occidental. It is very cool, foggy, with heavy coastal influences and produces acidic, less extracted Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and sparkling wines on its Goldridge (yellow, sandy) soil

Chalk Hill AVA is in the northeast part of Russian River Valley and has less marine influence and fog. It has rocky, chalk soils so they do grow Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, but they also grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.

Town to stay in: Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, or Windsor

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Dry Creek is the easiest valley to visit (2 roads, 5 stop signs!) and probably the easiest to understand. It is known for exceptional Zinfandel. It’s in northern Sonoma County, 20 miles/32 km east of the Pacific Ocean. The Coastal Range blocks a lot of the cooler air from flooding the Dry Creek, giving it hotter days and slimmer diurnal swings at night. The vineyards lie on hillsides, benchlands, and the valley floor at different elevations and on different soils – from loam to clay to gravel. Zinfandel is 30% of plantings and is more elegant, and “old school” (especially from producers like Nalle or Peterson – friends of the pod!). The flavors are less like black fruit and more like raspberry, pomegranate with acidity and moderate alcohol. Other varieties grown are: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay very good Italian and Rhone Varieties, Bordeaux varieties grown too

Rockpile (Dry-Creek Adjacent, great Zin!): On the northern part of Dry Creek Valley, at high elevations beyond the fog, the AVA is great for rich, dense reds – Zin especially is famed (Bruliam does a great job and a friend of the show!)

Town to stay in: Healdsburg or Windsor

Dry Creek AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers  

Alexander Valley AVA: In northeastern Sonoma County, north of Healdsburg, the Russian River flows through h the Alexander Valley. It gets some cool marine air from the Pacific Ocean, and wind can cool mornings and evenings. Daytime heat spikes will ripen the grapes, but the cool wind will preserve the acidity in the classic Cabernet Sauvignon, which is so coveted, that many Napa wineries grow Cab here for top cuvees.

Pine Mountain – Cloverdale Peak (Alexander Valley adjacent) AVA: This small area overlaps the northernmost portions of the Alexander Valley AVA. It is steep with high elevations and grows a number of grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon.

Alexander Valley AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers  

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Knights Valley AVA is right next to Mount St. Helena, and has well-drained soils, but very warm temperatures with no Pacific or San Pablo Bay influence. Elevation is the only cooling factor in this area that has volcanic and alluvial gravel and focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon (2/3 of plantings) and other Bordeaux varietals. Kendall Jackson owns most of Knights Valley.

Northern Sonoma AVA: Too huge for any meaning – most producers use Sonoma County AVA. It includes Chalk Hill, Knights Valley, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, and most of Green Valley.

Fountaingrove AVA (2015) – mostly growers, few wineries. Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals, some Rhône varietals – Syrah, Viognier, Petite Sirah plus smatterings of everything. It’s too hot for Pinot and Chard except in a few key north-facing sites

So much to explore! Sonoma is a place you can need get enough of, but hopefully this episode gives some form to exactly what you want to do when you finally make it out there! 

Some of my favorite people mentioned: @sonomawineguy on Twitter and other Social Media, Nalle Winery, Crux Winery, Bruliam Winery, Keller Estate, Inman Family, Kieran Robinson Wines, Truchard Winery, (and I forgot to mention...Longboard Vineyards in Russian River!).

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Thanks to our sponsors:

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Wines Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Check out my favorite wines on the page at www.wineaccess.com/normal, sign up for their daily emails, and join one of their wine clubs...AND get 10% your first order!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please consider virtually buying us some bottles by becoming a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Sources for this show:

• https://sonomawinegrape.org/scw/sonoma-county-territory/
• www.sonomavalleywine.com
• https://petalumagap.com/
• russianrivervalley.org
• www.wdcv.com
• www.greenvalley-russianriver.com
• www.bvgg.org
• www.carneros.com
• www.alexandervalley.org

Jean Pierre Foubet is the managing director of and chief communicator for Château Chasse-Spleen, the best estate in Moulis appellation of the Médoc. His wife, Celine Villars-Foubet is the owner of the estate, and together they have brought this château to new heights in quality and prestige. 

Photo: Jean Pierre Foubet. Credit: ROLAND COIFFE & ASSOCIÉS

According to Jane Anson, in her book “Inside Bordeaux”:

“One of the star estates of Moulis, Chasse-Spleen is one of only two that I can think of that would have a fair chance of being recognized if the 1855 ranking were to be carried out today”

With their modern outlook, but respect for tradition, they have kept the wine on a path of constant improvement. They have transformed their château into a natural and man-made paradise, one that marries tradition with modernity in the form of art. From the barrel room, to the grounds, to the art gallery, and the accommodations for guests, Chasse-Spleen is a model for how to bring a château into the 21st century.

Céline and Jean-Pierre’s personalities, hospitality, and passion show through and it makes the experience of the wines so special, as I found out when I had the pleasure of staying there and spending an evening sipping the unbelievable wine, eating a delicious meal, and having so much fun and many, many laughs with the two of them in 2022.

Jean Pierre joins to tell us about Moulis, Chasse-Spleen, and explains some things to me that I always wanted to ask!

Photo: Jean Pierre Foubet and me, June 2022. Credit: WFNP

Here are some of topics Jean-Pierre and I discuss:

Jean-Pierre talks about the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation, of which he is the head:

• The unique location at “elevation” in Médoc, 17 meters
• The soil diversity with gravel, clay, and composite soils, and how that yields a variety of wine styles
• How practices must be altered in the vineyard, not in the cellar to handle climate change
• How Listrac and Moulis differ, and why it makes sense that they eventually join as one appellation – and how there are three very strong Chateaux (“locomotives” as Jean-Pierre calls them –Chasse-Spleen, Grand Poujeaux, Maucaillou) which are famed all over Europe and carry the reputation for the 34 other châteaux)

Map: AOC Moulis

Then we discuss Chasse-Spleen, an unofficial Grand Cru of the Médoc.

• Jean-Pierre tells us about the early history of Chasse-Spleen, the English origins of its name and its history of women ownership. We discuss some of the harder times in Bordeaux and touch on the difficulties of upkeep of a château.

• We talk about the terroir of Chasse-Spleen – its size (175 ha) and its large percentage of gravel in the vineyard, and how it plants to the soil (it is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon because that reflects how much gravel they have, and 30% Merlot on clay-limestone soils).

Chateau Chasse-Spleen, Credit: Moulis.com

• Jean Pierre tries to explain the difference between second wines and other cuvees to me. He does it successfully for Chasse-Spleen (L’Ermitage de Chasse Spleen is an Haut-Médoc “other” cuvee, and L’Oratoire de Chasse Spleen is a true second wine). We leave with the conclusion that I may never know what is actually a second wine from other chateau because no one really knows!

• In the spirit of asking every question I’ve ever had about how Bordeaux works 🤣🤣, I ask about Chasse-Spleen’s consultant, Eric Boissenot. He is very well respected and known to be a champion of terroir, but I ask Jean Pierre how difficult it is to make sure that Eric helps them to make wine that represents their land and doesn’t taste like the other properties for which he consults. We also discuss the famed consultant, Michel Rolland, who is famed for helping chateaux and wineries devise wines that would get 100-point scores from Robert Parker.

• We discuss Chasse-Spleen’s wine and why it is so ageworthy. We talk about the 1855 classification, what it represents and what it doesn’t and how Chasse Spleen, despite being out of the ranking, sells far better than 5th growth Château Camensac, which the Villars -Foubet family also own. The conversation incorporates the decision for Chasse-Spleen to leave the Cru Bourgeois classification as well (many top châteaux left after the last round).

• We discuss their refreshing, lively white wine (mostly Sémillon) and Jean Pierre expresses skepticism about a potential Médoc Blanc appellation (I still think it’s a great idea!)

• We end my talking about Céline and Jean Pierre’s love of art and how they have incorporated it into Chasse-Spleen in creative and magical ways – from the life-like 3 meter high boots outside the Château, which help them remember that workers make the Château what it is, to the eclectic art collection, to the 3-D perspective painting in the chai (barrel room). If you are interested in staying at the Château, contact them here.

The Chai (pronounced shay) at Chasse-Spleen. Credit Chasse-Spleen

This was a great conversation with one of the top château of the Médoc. Once you try Chasse-Spleen, you’ll see why it is such a special wine, that rivals top Medoc wines.

A special thanks to Jean Pierre and Céline for their hospitality and again to the Wines of Médoc and Carole Vidal for the trip there last year, where I was able to visit Chasse Spleen.

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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Wines Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Check out my favorite wines on the page at www.wineaccess.com/normal, sign up for their daily emails, and join one of their wine clubs...AND get 10% your first order!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Matt Walls is a freelance wine expert and an award-winning wine writer and consultant. He is a contributing editor to Decanter, and writes regularly for timatkin.com and Club Oenologique. He is also the author of "Drink Me!" Which won the Fortnum & Mason ‘Best Newcomer’ Award, among others, and he wrote an opus on the Rhône Valley, “Wines of the Rhône,”** which is a brilliant book that has everything you want to know about the Rhône. 

Buy Matt's Book!** Photo: www.mattwalls.co.uk

Matt judges wine competitions, presents amazing master classes, AND he’s probably the nicest person in the entire wine industry and fun too, as I learned when I met him in the Rhone in 2022 at an industry event in the Rhône.

Photo:  Credit: Wine For Normal People

Here are the show notes:

• Matt tells us about how meeting a French winemaker with breathtaking passion, and being outstanding at French led him to consider a career in wine.

• We discuss the research that went into “Wines of the Rhône,**"the most comprehensive look at every appellation in the Côtes du Rhône and the larger Rhône Valley.

We get into a lot of dorky details about the Rhône that Matt writes about (beautifully and succinctly) in the book. We cover:

• The complex geological history of the Rhône and all the “ingredients” that make the terroir what it is today
• The biggest differences between the northern and southern Rhône
• How climate change needs more attention from Rhône producers and how winegrowing and winemaking practices (trellising, too much destemming, the fashion of “phenolic ripeness”) have augmented the alcohol and “bigness” in many Rhone wines
• Irrigation and acidification and why each have their positives and negatives
• The grapes of the region, the diversity of those grapes ,and which will be the winners or losers in climate change

We discuss some specifics of the regions:

• Châteauneuf-du-Pape, specifically why there are so many different styles and why some are $20 and some are $500
• Crozes-Hermitage and how to find a good one (hint: Matt’s book is how you find a good one**! Matt mentions the town of Gervans as a granite area. Cave de Tain has good quality wines too)
• We touch on Côte Rôtie, Tavel, and Rhône whites
• Matt gives us a great tip: IGP Collines Rhodaniennes is for Northern Rhône wines that didn't make the cut into Côte Rôtie, Condrieu or other northern appellations because the vines may be young, regulations are odd, or the harvest was plentiful and they had enough grape to be selective and put only the top grapes into the AOP wines.

To end, Matt tells us the areas he finds are highly underrated (Costieres di Nîmes, Luberon, Ventoux, Duché d'Uzès, Vacqueryas for white are mentioned) and he tells us some great tips to consider when traveling to the Rhône.

Matt’s book is a thoughtful and easy to read guide to this magnificent region, so if you want to get great wines from this area, which is packed with outstanding wines, many of them underpriced, his book needs to be on your shelf. I no longer shop for Rhône wines without consulting it.

Plus, he is such an awesome human we should all want to support his work!

Buy Matt's Book!** Photo: www.mattwalls.co.uk

**This is an affiliate link and I may earn a small commission if you buy through this link

_______________________________________________________________

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. For 2023, I will be working with this outstanding company, which is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. Wine Access is a class act -- check them out today! 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Tucked into the middle of the Italian peninsula is the verdant, hilly land of Umbria. This small province is overshadowed by its neighbor, Tuscany, for many things, but Umbria has history, culture, and wine all its own. In this show, we explore the long history of Umbrian wine, what makes the province unique in its grapes and wine styles, and why Umbrian wine is too often unfairly forgotten in the pantheon of great wines of Italy. We review the three major wine regions of Umbria – Orvieto, Torgiano, and Montefalco – and give many reasons to give these wines a try. 

Photo: Umbrian countryside. Getty Images 

Here are the show notes:

• As of January 2023, Umbria has just 2 DOCGs, 13 DOCs, and 6 IGPs, 48% is DOP wine, 42% IGP, 10% table wine. 12,400 ha (30,600 acres) is 7.2 million cases of wine
  
  
• The main grapes of the region are: Sangiovese, Trebbiano Toscano, Grechetto, Sagrantino

• Umbria has had winemaking for more than 3000 years

• Climate: Landlocked Umbria has no sea breeze, although its lakes do help moderate the temperatures. The climate varies, but is mostly Mediterranean with cold, rainy winters and dry summers with abundant sunshine to ripen grapes

Photo: Chiesa in Assisi. Getty Images 

Land

• Umbria is 29% Mtns, 71% hills, no plains. Most vineyards are on terraces cut into hillsides. The vineyards have good diurnals, which maintains acidity.
• Umbria is the only Italian region with no coastline nor a common border with another country.
• It is partly hilly and mountainous from the Apennines, and partly flat and fertile from the Tiber River Valley and the Umbrian valley around Perugia

Grapes:

• 53% red/rose, 47% white
• Sangiovese 20% of plantings, Trebbiano Toscano –12%, Grechetto 11%, Sagrantino 7%

Whites:

• Grechetto is two distinct grape varieties, Grechetto di Orvieto and Grechetto di Todi
  • Grechetto di Orvieto: is light bodied, high in acidity with apple, pear, citrus, white flower notes
  • Grechetto di Todi is Pignoletto (called that in Emilia Romagna). It is very floral with a soft mouthfeel
• Trebbiano Spoletino: Only found in Umbria around Spoleto and Montefalco. This wine is like limes, it can range from light to heavy and high in alcohol and can be barrel aged, or made into orange wine – no set identity
  
  
• Reds: Sangiovese and Sagrantino with Colorino, Mammolo, Vernaccia Nera
  
  
• International grapes: Cab, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc for, Umbria Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT)

Photo: Sagrantino. Getty Images 

Orvieto

• Producing wine since the Middle Ages when it was a famed sweet wine, today this wine is more of a dry white. Despite a long history, Orvieto was the victim of overproduction in the 1960s and its reputation suffered
• There are many styles and it is Umbria’s biggest appellation – 10%+ of all Umbrian wine production
• Known for whites made of mostly Trebbiano and Grechetto, DOC Orvieto and Orvieto Classico. Other grapes include: Malvasia Bianco, Drupeggio, Verdello, Canaiolo bianco
• Styles: very simple and boring from Trebbiano or wines that use more Grechetto
  • Red wine and 8 varietal wines sold under Rosso Orvietano DOC—French grapes plust Aleatico, Barbera, Canaiolo, Colorino, Dolcetto, Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Cesanese, Ciliegiolo

• Wine made in hills around Torgiano, southeast of Perugia where a tributary joins Tiber River
• Torgiano DOC is 81 ha/200 acres, 40K cases
  • Whites: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Trebbiano, Riesling Italico (Welschriesling) (Labeled by grape, 85%+ of grape in bottle), Torgiano Bianco – 50-70% Trebbiano Toscano with Grechetto
  • Reds: Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Nero, Sangiovese (known for elegance, high-quality Sangiovese). Rosso di Torgiano DOC is made with 50–100% Sangiovese
  • Rosato of Sangiovese min 50% and other approved native grapes
  • Torgiano Rosso Riserva DOCG, can age for decades It must be made with 70–100% Sangiovese with other native grapes. It must age at least three years before release
  • The Lungarotti family is famed in Torgiano growing area

Montefalco Sagrantino – DOCG 1992

• Montefalco is ancient hilltop town and its specialty is Sagrantino – a dry, powerful, complex red grape with herbal notes that is made into the Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG wine, a famed wine that is aged a minimum of 37 months, 12 in barrel, 4 in bottle minimum
• With vines on the slopes of the hills, around the ancient town of Montefalco, and in surrounding villages, this area has a continental, that is warm and dry.
• Montefalco Sagrantino used to be a sweet wine but evolved into the dry version, which is one of the great reds of Italy
• Notable winerw are: Scaccia Diavoli, Fratelli Pardi and Arnaldo Caprai
• Montefalco Sagrantino is on only 990 acres/400 ha, producing just 108,000 case (5 year average)

Montefalco DOC

• Established as a DOC in 1979, and lying on just 524 ha/1294 acres, this DOC Makes:
• Bianco: Grechetto, Trebbiano (Minimum of Trebbiano Spoletino with other native non aromatic whites). There is a varietal Grechetto as well
• Rosso: 60-80% Sangiovese, 10–25% Sagrantino with a maximum 30% with other native reds

Photo: The wine we drank during the show.

Other DOCs: Assisi, Amelia, Colli Altotiberini, Colli Perugini, Lago di Corbara, Spoleto, Todi, Collie Martani, Colli del Trasimeno

All are the same combo of grapes

• Whites: Grechetto and Trebbiano for whites with supporting native and non-native grapes

• Reds: Sangiovese with native and French grapes

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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. For 2023, I will be working with this outstanding company, which is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order.Wine Access is a class act -- check them out today! 

Is the podcast worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year to you? If so, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

__________________________________________

Sources:

https://italianwinecentral.com/

THE GRAPES AND WINES OF ITALY: The definitive compendium region by region, Ian d'Agata, Michelle Longo

Native Grapes of Italy, Ian d'Agata

https://www.consorziomontefalco.it/en/montefalco-sagrantino-docg/

https://sommconusa.com/orvieto-doc-home-to-one-of-the-greatest-white-wines-of-italy/

This podcast is a refresher on Merlot (it’s been 12 years, so it’s time!). It’s one of the titans of the wine grapes, and yet it’s not often that we encounter it as a varietal wine. Because it is frequently blended, Merlot can often be forgotten or not given its due.

Photo: Merlot. Getty Images via Canva

But Merlot will not be forgotten! It is the second-most planted grape in the world, the most widely grown grape in Bordeaux, and its pedigree as part of some of the world’s most prestigious and well-known Bordeaux and Bordeaux-style wines makes it royalty in the wine world.

But Merlot is not without challenges. When it’s not grown on the proper soils or managed meticulously, wine made of Merlot bears little resemblance to great wines of Bordeaux or other regions that are famed for blends that use it. The reputation of Merlot as a boring, flabby, dull wine is not the fault of the grape, and although it was a convenient scapegoat, it’s also not the fault of the movie “Sideways.” The fact is that Merlot is not as easy to grow as people thought, and in 1980s and 1990s, opportunistic companies used high-yielding clones on bad rootstock and in bad sites to churn out high alcohol fruit bombs, lacking all the nuance that make the grape esteemed in its homeland.  

This says nothing about the grape, but much about the people who defiled it. Although it is entirely capable of making boring, cheap wine, Merlot simultaneously makes up 95% of Château Petrus, Bordeaux’s most expensive wine and is used in fine wines all over the world for its ability to elevate a blend. In this show we pay homage to Merlot, and this time, shed some light on the recent past for Merlot and why, ultimately, it has done little to harm the grape’s reputation among winemakers and those who take the time to know the grape.

DNA and Parentage

• Merlot originates from Gironde or SW France or Basque country. It’s the child of Cabernet Franc and Magdeleine Noire des Charentes from Brittany
• Merlot Gris: Pink color mutation of Merlot
• Merlot Blanc: A cross of Merlot x Folle Blanche created in 1891
  • NOT WHITE MERLOT, which is just Merlot made like white Zinfandel

History

We discuss the history of Merlot – from its first mention in Bordeaux, to its more modern history - its rise in the 1990s and its fall in the early 2000s in California, Australia, and the global consumer market.

Photo: Merlot. Getty Images via Canva

In the Vineyard

• Merlot is an early budding variety, making it susceptible to spring frost – it needs good weather at flowering or it won’t have a great vintage.
• The grape needs cooler, well-drained soils – cooler limestone and clay soils are best
• Because Merlot is thin skinned with loose to medium density bunches it is also susceptible to disease (downy mildew) and botrytis (bad). It is bad in drought, which raises the question: how will it do with climate change, which we discuss.
• Merlot ripens about 2 weeks earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon and it’s the first red grape picked in Bordeaux. That makes it a great agriculture hedge – if it does well, there is less pressure to have a huge Cabernet Sauvignon harvest.
• The grape has milder tannins, higher sugar, and lower acidity (especially malic) than its relations Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. It can be vigorous, so yields must be managed and picking decision is important, since Merlot loses acidity quickly once ripe.
• Two main styles result from picking decisions (among other factors – terroir!):
  • Bordeaux style: Merlot is harvested earlier, leading to a more acidic, medium alcohol wine (Pétrus). These wines tend to have moderate alcohol and show more red fruit flavors (cherry) along with “other” things like: green and black tea, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, earthy, mushrooms, green pepper, green olive
    
    
• International style: Concentrates on physiological ripeness, with long hang time to have hardened stems and seeds (wines of Michel Rolland). These wines are often inky, purple, dark wines, with high alcohol, velvety tannins, and dark fruit character (plum, blackberry, blueberry). The wine is smooth and can seem sweet due to the high alcohol, strong fruit, and the oak used that brings flavors like caramel, chocolate, coffee, vanilla, nut, and cigar.

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Regions: the grape is planted everywhere! This is more or less a list…

France
Merlot is France’s most planted grape

Bordeaux

• Bordeaux is the grape’s native home, and it is the most cultivated grape in the region. It contains half of all the Merlot in France.
• The grape does best on cooler limestone and clay soils of the Right Bank and in pockets of the Left Bank. Climate change is a challenge for Merlot – it will need to be grown exclusively in cooler spots as the climate warms
• Right Bank

• • Pomerol: Can be up to 100% Merlot. Wine is luscious, soft, velvety, plummy, iron or clay-like. Famed châteaux are Pétrus, Le Pin
  • Émilion: Usually contains 60-70% Merlot with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon. Flavors are more like balsam, dried fruit, with tea notes, but the wines vary based on limestone, clay or sand content in the soil. Famed châteaux mentioned are Angelus and Pavie
  • Other high quality Right Bank AOPs with Merlot based wines: Canon-Fronsac, Fronsac, St-Émilion “satellites” (Lussac St. Emilion, Montagne St. Emilion, Puisseguin St. Emilion and St. Georges St. Emilion)

• Left Bank
• • A major blending component of AOPs: Graves, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe, Listrac, Moulis, Pessac-Leognan

Other Bordeaux: all Côtes de Bordeaux (I recommend Francs and Castillon), Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur AOPs

Southwest France: Bergerac where it is blended with Cabernets, Cahors where it is blended with Malbec

Languedoc and Loire grow Merlot

Italy: Merlot is the third most planted red in Italy and is made in a number of styles

• In Northern Italy: Alto-Adige, Friuli, parts of Veneto: the wines often have higher acidity, herbal notes and can be blended with other grapes.
• Tuscany: Super Tuscan blends in Bolgheri/Tuscan coast – producers use Merlot to soften Sangiovese or Cabernet in blends. Masseto by Antinori is 100% Merlot on clay soils (it costs more than US$1000 per bottle). Climate change is worrisome in these areas because it is getting too hot for Merlot.
• Other regions: Umbria, Lazio

Other Western/Central Europe:

• Spain: Catalonia, Castilla-La Mancha, Navarra, Aragón
• Portugal
• Switzerland: In Ticino made as a rosé
• Germany: Pfalz, Rheinhessen
• Austria: grown in all wine-growing regions in Austria, basic wines

Eastern Europe:

• Bulgaria: Significant plantings, varietal wines
• Hungary: In Bull’s Blood (Egri Bikaver) with Kekfrankos, Kardarka
• Romania: Most widely exported red
• Croatia, Slovenia (near Italian border), Ukraine, Moldova, Greece,

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United States

Washington State: Excellent Merlot with strong acidity, dark color, and lots of interesting earthy, fruity flavor. The long growing season with cool nights lends the wine great structure. This is my top pick for US Merlot!

• Producers mentioned: Leonetti, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Andrew Will, Columbia Crest
• Regions mentioned: Walla Walla, Red Mountain

California

• In the early days of California wine, Merlot was a varietal wine. Sterling was the first to make a vintage dated Merlot. Warren Winiarski, a leader in California wine in the 1970s and owner of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, promoted Merlot as part of a Bordeaux blend
• We recap a bit of the story of how it evolved in California that we discussed earlier in the show. Then we talk about some of the styles in various regions

Napa: Producers usually dedicate the best soils and sites to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot is an afterthought. Right now there is a bit of a shortage of Merlot because no one has focused on it but demand is increasing as styles have changed.

• Top Producers: Duckhorn, Pride, La Jota
• Regions mentioned for Merlot: Carneros, Mt Veeder, Rutherford, Oakville

Other California:  Monterey (bulk), Sonoma (Alexander Valley, some Sonoma Valley)

Photo: Merlot. Getty Images via Canva

Other US:

Oregon (Rogue Valley), Virginia. Long Island (great stuff! Merlot is their best grape), Texas

Mexico, Canada (most prominent in BC for Bordeaux style blends)

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Southern Hemisphere

Chile:  Producers mistook Carménère for Merlot in the 1990s but they’ve slowly gotten back to real Merlot. Top areas: Colchagua (Apalta sub AVA), Maule, Curicó. I mention the famed wine writer

Argentina: Merlot is made in a ripe style, often blended in with other grapes

Australia: The grape is often used for blending with Cabernet, but had similar issues to California when demand rose in the 1990s – Merlot was overplanted in warm bulk areas like Murray Darling, Riverina, Riverland.  Today, quality Margaret River and Western Australia.

New Zealand: Merlot is the second most planted after Pinot Noir. It does especially well in blends coming out of Hawke’s Bay. Merlot also does well in Auckland, Marlborough, and Martinborough

South Africa: Cooler sites in Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek

Other places: Israel, Lebanon, India, Japan, China

Suggested food pairings

• Cabernet style ("big wines"): Roasted, grilled food, “brown food” – hearty stews, meats, heavy dishes
• Soft, fruity styles with high acidity: Mushroom, salmon, spinach, greens

We end with a warning about serving temperature: NEVER SERVE MERLOT TOO WARM!! 60˚–65°F

_______________________________________________________________

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Much has changed since our original 2017 episode (199) on Cava and Spanish sparkling wine. It's time for a refresh and an update!

Photo: Cava cork. Credit: cava.wine

In this episode we fill you in on the roller coaster the DO has been on since 2017 and where it stands today. The story shows how Spain has moved from just being ON the radar of international wine buyers to moving to a level of sophistication that demands its regions have the kind of terroir focus of the other great wine nations of the Old World – France, Italy, Germany, and Austria, to name a few.

We review the regulations, changes, and the strife in the region and discuss what to seek out to get the best of these highly accessible, delicious, and decidedly Spanish wines.

Here are the show notes...

The Basics

• We start with the statistics on Cava -- it encompasses 38,133 ha/94,229 acres and made 253 MM bottles in 2021
• 91% of Cava is white, 9% is rosado (rosé)
  
  
• Various zones produce the wine, but Penedés is the heart of Cava production, with more than 95% of total output

• We discuss the early history of the area, beginning with the first sparkling production in 1872 with Josep Raventós to the point where the DO is formed in 1991 – we leave the modern history until later, as complex and muddled as it is!

Map: The overly spread out regions of Cava. Credit: Cava DO

We then get into the grapes and winemaking:

• Whites: Since most Cava is white, the white grapes dominate. Most important are the indigenous grapes, Macabeo (Viura, the white of Rioja), Xarel-lo, and Parellada. Chardonnay is also authorized, as well as Subirat Parent (Malvasia) for semi-sweet and sweet Cava.

Photo: Macabeo. Credit: D.O. Cava

• Reds: Used for rosado (rosé), native grapes are Garnacha (Grenache), Trepat, and Monastrell (Mourvèdre). The Cava DO authorized Pinot Noir for use in rosado in 1998
• Winemaking:
  • We discuss the vineyard requirements for the making of quality Cava, including the importance of gentle picking and transport to the winery to prevent oxidation
  • We briefly review the Traditional Method (Champagne Method) of winemaking, which is how all Cava is made

Photo: Riddled Cava, ready for disgorgement.. Credit: D.O. Cava

• We discuss the aging qualifications for Cava, Cava Reserva, Cava Gran Reserva, and Cava Paraje Calificada that range from a minimum nine months to several years, and what each style yields
• We review the various dosage levels so you know what to look for:
  • “Brut Nature” - no added sugar
  • Cava Extra Brut – very little sugar
  • Cava Brut: Slightly more added sugar in the dosage, sugar is barely noticeable
  • Cava Extra Seco: heavier mouthfeel, noticeable sugar
  • Cava Seco: Dessert level, very sweet
  • Semi Seco: Even sweeter
  • Dulce – Super sweet

• We talk about the first fissures in Cava, with the 2012 break off of Cava OG producer Raventós i Blanc leaving the Cava DO because the quality standards were too low -Vino de la tierra Conca de l'Anoia (their own site)

Photo: Raventós i Blanc Rosado, Vino de la Tierra

• We discuss the 2015 formation of The Association of Wine Producers and Growers Corpinnat (AVEC) or Corpinnat. We define the group and talk about its requirements for the small member producers:
  • Mission:  Create a distinguished, excellent quality, terroir-driven sparkling wine based solely on Penedès, rather than far flung regions that make lesser wine. To raise the profile of Cava from cheap shit to good stuff
    
    
    

Photo: Corpinnat corks. Credit: Corpinnat Website

• Corpinnat Requirements
  • At least 75% of the grapes must be from vineyards owned by the winery, wine must be made on the premises of the winery
  • Minimum price paid for livable wages to the growers
  • Certified organic and hand harvested grapes
  • 90% of the grapes must be indigenous varieties: Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Parellada for whites, Garnacha, Trepat, Monastrell, for reds.
  • 18 months minimum aging
  • **By design: Cava’s three biggest producers can’t meet the requirements: Cordoniu, Freixenet and García Carrión – which is why Corpinnat started in the first place, to raise the quality standard and allow smaller producers a voice
    
    Corpinnat members (2022): Gramona, Llopart, Recaredo, Sabaté i Coca, Nadal, Torelló, Can Feixas, Júlia Bernet, Mas Candi, Can Descregut, Pardas
    
    
    
    
• We discuss the qualifications of the Cava Paraje Calificado classification, created by the Cava DO in 2017 for single-estate sparkling wines with a vineyard designation, lower yield, and a longer aging period
  • Cava de Paraje Calificado requirements include specifications for: lower yield, manual harvest, minimum fermentation time in the bottle at 36 months. Vines must be at least 10 years old and the wine must be produced locally in the same winery that grows the grapes.
  • Issues: Includes the large wineries’ estate vineyards and (originally) some smaller ones but doesn’t address the issue of quality or cohesive terroir/flavor. It’s like a medal system – here are our best wines!

Photo: Paraje Califado Cava -- Can Sala, Freixenet

• Disastrous conclusion: The Cava Paraje Calificada was the solution to the Corpinnat – it was meant to be more inclusive. But Corpinnat was supposed to be a new small producer/ quality designation within Cava. Because it excludes large producers, the DO wouldn’t allow Cava and Corpinnat on the same label, and Corpinnat left the DO. They cannot use Cava, or Gran Reserva on their labels.

Of the 12 wines approved as CPC in 2017, 5 aren’t CPC anymore, only Corpinnat

We address most recent regulations of Cava in 2020

The Cava Regulatory Council approved new zoning of the Cava DO. We review the subzones that are supposed to create a better delimitation for consumers:

Comtats de Barcelona - 95%+ of Cava production

• Includes Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, the "capital of Cava" – where the first bottles of Cava were produced in 1872
• Location: In Catalonia, in northeast Spain. Along the Mediterranean coast near Barcelona
• Climate: Mediterranean climate, slight variations inland versus coast but mostly long summer, lots of sun, hot summer and spring - easy to ripen grapes, lots of different grapes thrive 
• Land:  Diverse terrain – various exposures, orientation, altitudes, and microclimates
• Five Sub-zones (used for Reserva and Gran Reserva Cava, more limited yields, organic viticulture, vineyards 10+ years old): Valls d'Anoia Foix, Serra de Mar, Conca del Gaià, Serra de Prades and Pla de Ponent
  • Each has a slightly different character – some more at elevation, some farther from the sea – slight variations in flavors and what grows where

Map: Detail of the Comtats de Barcelona Cava Zone. Credit: Cava DO

The Ebro Valley area 

• Northernmost part of the DO, far in the interior, near and influenced by the river Ebro
• Climate: Temperate, continental climate – summers are hot and dry with cold winters
• Two subzones (used for Reserva and Gran Reserva Cava, more limited yields, organic viticulture, vineyards 10+ years old): the Alto Ebro around Rioja, Navarra, and the Basque area of Álava and the Cierzo Valley Sub Zone. The Cierzo is near the Aragonese city of Zaragoza in the central area of the Ebro River, with strong regional winds (the Cierzo) to dry out the area

Map: Detail of the Ebro River Valley Cava Zone. Credit: Cava DO

Smaller zones:

• Levante: (Eastern Highlands, no official name yet), in interior of Valencia province, with a dry Mediterranean to semi continental climate depending on whether altitude)

• Viñedos de Almendralejo (Almendralejo vineyards): Fairly flat, southwestern-most part of the DO. A very dry, hot climate, with warm wind, known as the solano

We end with an update of where Cava is today (hint: it’s huge and growing, it’s trying to improve by moving towards organics, it’s still fighting against Corpinnat) and what could be the next step for Corpinnat too.

A fascinating show that takes you on the wild ride that the region and wine has been on since we first discussed it those many years ago.

__________________________________________________

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Sources:

www.cava.wine

https://www.raventos.com

https://www.corpinnat.com

https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2019/02/nine-producers-break-with-cava-to-form-corpinnat/

https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/new-breakaway-sparkling-wine-appellation-to-rival-cava-20501/ 

In this show, we cover Aglianico - the best red grape you may have never heard of. Widely considered one of Italy’s top three red grapes with Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, many consider the wines of Aglianico some of the world’s top bottles too. That said, because Aglianico is a grape of the more obscure regions in southern Italy (Campania and Basilicata, mainly), the wine hasn’t gotten its due. It is much less expensive than top Barolos and Barbarescos or Chiantis and Brunellos – although it is slowly catching up. It is a grape well-suited to warm Mediterranean climates, and for the changing climates of once cooler growing areas like regions of California and Australia. Aglianico is historic, yet modern and there has never been a better time to get acquainted with the wines of this beautiful grape.

Photo: Aglianico
Source: Taub Family Selections, Mastroberardino Page

Here are the show notes:

We cover the history of the grape and discuss possible origins.

• Aglianico is considered to be one of Italy’s oldest grapes and it was always thought to be an import from the Greeks who colonized Campania and other parts of southern Italy. Today, Attilio Scienza, the foremost Italian grape scientist, has changed that theory. He believes the grape is native to southern Italy and the name is related to the Spanish word for plains “llano” (ll=gli, both sounds like y sound in canyon). The grape may have been domesticated from grapes growing on the plains
• We discuss how the grape was nearly extinct after phylloxera, and how Antonio Mastroberardino - preserved and propagated Aglianico to make one of the best red wines in Italian history – the 1968 Mastroberardino Taurasi Riserva.
• The D’Angelo family revived Aglianico around Monte Vulture in Basilicata around the same time.
• The success of these two families on the world stage, encouraged others to start making wines from Aglianico, and today there are many great examples of wines from the grape

Photo: 1968 Mastroberardino Taurasi Riserva, widely considered one of Italy's best wines

Aglianico Viticulture:

• Aglianico produces medium to small, compact bunches. The individual berries are small, round, and dark blue-black with quite thick skins.
• The grape requires a long, warm growing season with a warm fall to fully develop flavors and calm tannins and acidity. It is early budding and late ripening. Overly cool or overly hot conditions don’t do good things for the grape. Aglianico is one of the latest harvests in Italy, with Vulture often starting harvest in mid to late November
• According to Ian d’Agata, the top English-speaking writer on Italian wine, Aglianico has three biotypes (variations of the same grape, but not different enough to be clones):
  • Taurasi, with small berries, less vigorous, and sensitivity to spring weather that may reduce the harvest
  • Taburno (also called Aglianico Amaro -- but not because it’s amaro /bitter, rather because it’s higher in acidity) is less fertile with big bunches. It is earlier ripening, with higher alcohol and higher acidity
  • del Vulture is most intensely flavored biotype, with strong fruit aromas and flavors, and it seems to have fewer viticultural issues
• The grape also has clones, the most popular of which are used to create bolder, darker wines

Terroir

• Aglianico prefers volcanic soils. The Campania DOCGs are on extinct volcanoes or have influence from nearby Vesuvius. The volcanic activity makes these soils rich in nutrients, well-drained, and very complex.
• The grape loves elevation and it thrives in spots where other grapes can’t ripen. Although Aglianico needs dry climates with abundant sun, it must have diurnal temperature swings at night so it can retain its acidity and build flavor slowly

Photo: Mastroberardino's Aglianico vineyards 
Source: Taub Family Selections, Mastroberardino Page

Styles:

• Generally, Aglianico has the following characteristics:
  • Very high acidity and tannin. Floral (red roses), red fruit (sour cherries), plum (esp. from Vulture), leather and herbs (esp. from Taburno), smoke, and mineral notes. The wines are always savory. It is capable of long aging. Regardless of where the grape grows, these characteristics seem to be present.
  • Some styles are lighter and more floral with higher acidity, while others are deep, earthy, fuller, and complex with tobacco, licorice, iron ore, and coffee notes.
• Aglianico needs age. It can be tough in its youth, with harsh tannin and acidity, since the grape has naturally high tartaric acid

Other styles:

• IGT wines – blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot or other native grapes
• Passito: Similar to Amarone from Veneto, these wines are made from partially dehydrated grapes. This style is very rare
• Sparkling: Made in the IGP classification. These wines often display red cherry, strawberries, and spice flavors and aromas

Regions

• The grape is almost exclusively in southern Italy, mostly in Campania in the provinces of Avellino, Benevento, Sannio, and Caserta. In Basilicata, wines are mainly made around Potenza and Matera. All these areas are in cool, dry, sunny spots in the mountains

The three main areas for high quality Aglianico in Italy are:

Taurasi (1993 DOCG), which is near Avellino, is mountainous and therefore at altitude, has volcanic soils and has an ideal climate -- hot, sunny days, and cool nights to slow ripening and build flavor.

• Up to 15% other red grapes are permitted in the blend to soften Aglianico (often Piedirosso, the native aromatic grape, which is lighter than Aglianico, is used)
• Flavor profile: Black cherry, raspberry, cigar, coffee, earth, leather. High acidity, high tannin, high alcohol, medium bodied.
• Riserva: has higher alcohol levels is aged longer
• Producers: Mastroberardino, Feudi di San Gregorio, Ponte, Terre degli Svevi, Re Manfredi, Quintodecimo, Donnachiara, Antionio Caggiano, Salvatore Molettieri, Perillo, Luigi Tecce, Terrdora, Urciolo

The wine we were drinking during the show, 2013 Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi. Here is a link to the show I did with owner Antonio Capaldo, ep 337

Aglianico del Taburno (2011 DOCG) is near Benevento. These wines are less famed than Taurasi because the region was used for bulk wine until the 1980s. The region consists of 14 towns on the eastern side of the Taburno mountain.

• Rather than pure volcanic or a volcanic mix, soils are clay -limestone.
• Taburno has bigger diurnals than Taurasi, and is generally cooler than Taurasi leading to higher acidity.
• Flavor profile: Pepper, black fruit, figs, leather, and herbs. High acidity, high tannin, high alcohol, medium body
• Producers: Cantina del Taburno, Cantine Tora, La Rivolta

Other Campania DOCS include: Cilento, Sannio, Gallucio, Irpinia, Falerno del Massico

Aglianico Del Vulture (we did a whole podcast on this) is located in Basilicata, just around the province of Potenza in the north. The wine region borders Campania and Puglia. The wine is required to be 100% Aglianico.

• Aglianico del Vulture DOC and Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCGs are on volcanic, mineral rich, well-drained soils around the extinct volcano. The elevation of Monte Vulture and the rain shadow it creates make perfect conditions for Aglianico – it gets its long, cool growing season, where it can develop flavors and aromas over time
• Flavor profile: black plum, coffee, dried herbs, smoke, dark chocolate. These wines have lower acidity than the wines of Campania. They still have high tannin, and high alcohol
• Producers: Cantine del Notaio, Elena Fucci, Pasternoster, Macarico, Basilisco, Cantina di Venosa, Bisceglia, D’Angelo

Aglianico can also be found in:

• Abruzzo & Molise, where it is blended with Montepulciano
• Lazio, Calabria, Puglia, where it is sometimes blended with Primitivo

New World Regions

• Australia: Adelaide Hills, Barossa, Langhorne Creek, Mudgee, McLaren Vale, Riverina, Northern Tasmania– cool and warmer regions! The wines are apparently less acidic and tannic, and quite high quality

• USA:

California: Many regions grow the grape but Caparone in Paso Robles was the first in 1992. It shows promise as the climate warms.

Other US: Texas, New Mexico

• Argentina and Mexico are also having some success

We end with a discussion of food pairings and encouragement to go out and try this gem!

Main resource: "Native Wine Grapes of Italy" by Ian D'Agata  

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

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To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Bonus: Here's the cat "iron throne" we talked about...

I welcome back Jim Morris, industry veteran, hospitality pro, and hiring manager for major wineries to help me answer the question I get frequently:

“I love wine, how do I get into the industry?”

We address the three main verticals for entry into the biz: the executive/business side, the production side, and the sales/hospitality side. Then we talk briefly about wine education and wine media. Jim’s first tip is a really essential one:  

“No matter what you do, do everything in wine”

From production to shipping, learning it all will make you understand the entire business. And that is essential because wine is one huge, long supply chain!

Here are the show notes:

The Management Side/Business Side: This is the executive side, where you can enter into the industry from another professional job with a set of skills.

Our tips:

• Your skills are likely applicable if you are from a related industry (law, logistics, consumer packaged goods marketing or sales, executive management etc.), but go in with eyes wide open — the regulations in wine are a bit crushing. The wine industry is driven by what it CAN’T do - be prepared for a world of regulation and compliance!
• There are many transferable skills and jobs that could fit if you have an area of expertise on the business side. You will have a learning curve but if you are ok with that it can be a great place.
• On the downside: none of it pays particularly well!

Photo credit: Unsplash

The Production Side: Winemaking, vineyard management, cellar work, including bottling, etc.

Our tips:

• This is a very physically demanding part of the business!
• You don’t have to go to school, but you have to work your way up if you don’t.
• Start small, talk to small winery owners and winemakers about what they do. Network with people, get a feel for what is needed in a winery, and what you can or would do if you worked in a winery. Just get out there and talk to people!
• If you are earnest and serious, and network you will get opportunities to work at wineries —whether it be in the US, Germany, Australia, or Mexico.
• Learn and absorb as much as you can and then make a decision about whether production really what you want to do, and then you have to convince someone to invest in you. Remember to have humility — you are asking someone to invest in you to teach you this craft, it’s important it’s a good fit and you go in understanding you are asking someone to take a chance on you.

  • Possible career paths: work harvest as and intern for free, become a paid harvest intern, cellar rat, assistant winemaker, winemaker, or vineyard worker/manager, work in logistics, bottling, etc.

Photo credit: Unsplash

Wine Sales and hospitality – retail and restaurant/ Tasting room employee/ Wine club management

Sales is the single most important job in wine. It is the most valued – without the sales, even great wineries fold.  Sales is the most common job in wine and the easiest path to get into the industry. We discuss three or four main ways to get into wine sales and hospitality.

Our Tips:

• We frame all of this by saying that sales and hospitality are skills -- hospitality is dealing with the public, we give tips on how to do that well, but if you don’t like dealing with people, these are not jobs for you!
• In sales/hospitality NEVER fake it ‘til you make it, people know when you are wrong and you’re going to get called out on any lies you tell or stuff you make up. Just admit that you are learning – there is a LOT to know!
• If you get into a hospitality or sales job, you are not above doing things they may ask you to do – cleaning dishes and glassware, serving food, setting up events – it’s part of the job.
• All wine positions — tasting room, wine club, hospitality, wine educator for a winery, etc — all are sales positions. If you don’t like selling, this isn’t for you!

We discuss the positions available and the paths they could lead to:

• Retail: Work in a wine shop. To figure out the best one for you, go to tastings at the shop you’d like to work with. See if you jibe and then express interest in working there with time. Possible career paths: Retail - distributor rep, supplier (large winery) rep, importer, shop owner, work at a tasting room in wine country
  
  
  Photo credit: Unsplash

• Tasting room: Tasting room IS sales and service combined. You must always be mindful that your job is sales of wine club. Boxing wine for shipping, cleaning up after messy guests, setting up tables, talking about the wine
  • Possible career paths: Tasting room manager, wine club manager (customer service and marketing), logistics, social media marketing, wine tele-sales, marketing (keeping in mind that it is really hamstrung by regulations!)
• On-premise (restaurants): This is working in a restaurant with a good wine list.
  • Possible career paths: Wine buyer for restaurant groups or major retailers, see the paths for retail

Other jobs: We briefly address wine educators, wine writers, and wine influencers too and give some advice for people thinking about those paths

Hopefully this sets you on a good path to success or at least answers the questions of how you could break into the industry if you were interested.

If you have questions, contact Jim on Twitter @sonomawineguy and he’ll get back to you! You never know, he may be hiring in his tasting room or wine club!

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This week’s show is about one of the most famous white wines in Italy, the region's/wine's 1000 year history, and its recent comeback in quality and stature. The region? Soave (SWAH-vay) in Veneto, Italy.

Map: Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave

Located just east of the famed city of Verona (Romeo and Juliet, anyone?), in the foothills of the Lessini Mountains, Soave is a tiny region that packs a punch in reputation and in flavor. Made from one of the oldest known grapes in Italy, the Garganega grape, Soave’s cheek coating, almond-flavored, floral, and sometimes waterfall-like notes creates a food friendly, crowd pleasing wine.  Although often maligned by the wine trade, who is woefully behind on this trend, Soave is one for us, normal wine lovers. Surely there is garbage to be had when the grapes are grown on the flats of the region, but on the ancient, steep, volcanic hillsides, worked meticulously by hand, the grapes farmed for these wines create outstanding examples of Italian white at its best. If you haven’t had it, go and get an example from the producers we recommend (Gini, Inama, Pra, Pieropan, Suavia – you won’t be sorry!)

Here are the show notes...

• Soave is located east of Verona, at 45.45° N latitude
• It is a small region, with just 6,500 hectares (16,062 acres) planted, but those plantings give a lot of bang for the buck – recent figures show the region makes about 4.4 MM cases

Location, climate, land:

• The DOC is on a border between flat plains of the Po River Valley in the south and Alpine foothills in the north. Its main towns – Soave and Monteforte d’Alpone lie on the flats – but between them and north there is a large volcanic outcropping that rises up in steep slopes
• Climate: Because of its proximity to the river, the region is influenced by the mists of the Po Valleyduring harvest, which can produce conditions for mold and disease. The tough Garganega grape can resist disease, but it is still a threat to the vineyards. It can be hot on valley floors in the summer and quite cold in the spring and fall, so slopes are preferred for viticulture.
• Land: Soave is a series of hills and valleys formed by volcanic activity and the recession of a small sea, along with plate movement. Soils are a mixture but in general:
  • WEST and CENTER AREAs: Calcareous, limestone soils
  • Central-Eastern Areas: Volcanic/basalt based soils

Soave's rolling hills. Photo: Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave

Grape varieties: 

• Garganega is one of oldest white grapes in Italy and represents 88% of plantings. It has grown in the hills of Soave for at least 1,000 years and is one of Italy’s oldest varieties. Garganega can crop to high yields, with large bunches so when growers preferred quantity over quality in the 1960s and 1970s, the vine produced. But like all grapes, when overcropped and grown on fertile valleys, Gargenega has no flavor!
  • Characteristics of Garganega: Flavors change based on soil type and winemaking. They range from steely, waterfall-like to peachy with white flowers, citrusy, and like apples. Good Garganega has acidity but a cheek-coating quality and a slightly bitter-almond finish. They are sometimes aged on the lees but not often oak aged, as it kills the freshness/acidity in the wine.
  • The better Soaves are mostly 100% Garganega, but by law, the wine must have 70% Garganega with up to 30% of Trebbiano di Soave (Verdicchio, not crappy Trebbiano)) or, Chardonnay (traditionalists don’t approve) with other non-aromatic, local grapes permitted in up to 5% of the blend.

The Garganega Grape.. Photo from Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave

• Trebbiano di Soave. An exception to some of the low quality Trebbiani, this is the same grape Verdicchio (often from Le Marche). It’s a low yielding variety, ripens earlier than Garganega, and it’s acidic, floral, and light. It used to be in more frequent use but its sensitivity to mold and rot, it has slowly been replaced by the more vigorous Garganega.

We go through the history, and over the theories of how Soave got its name:

1. The name is from the writings of Dante Alighieri, devised during his exile in Verona.
2. The name is from a Nordic tribe (Svevi) that once inhabited the area. 
3. Or it could be from a Germanic tribe –the Lombards who set up the city of Soave in the 500s

Soave DOCs and their terroir…

The Soave DOC and its two subzones (Soave Classico DOC and Soave Colli Scaligeri DOC) make 99.5% of the wine (the rest is sweet Recioto di Soave DOCG and Soave Superiore DOCG).  Most of the wine is dry, still, white wine. A small amount of sparkling is made. There are 33 "Unità Geografica Aggiuntiva” or Additional Geographical Units, similar to the MGA of Barolo and Barbaresco -- single vineyard sites. 

Map: https://www.amaronetours.it/wines/soave

There are various terroir in Soave, as we discuss earlier in the podcast:

The Hills

Soave Classico and Soave Colli Scaligeri (KOH-lee ska-LEE-jah-ree) are in the mountains, as just described. The Colli Scaligeri form a horseshoe around Soave Classico and these are higher elevation areas mainly on limestone but with some basalt. The two areas are the high quality, traditional growing regions of Soave.

• Volcanic hillsides are in the central to eastern area of Lessini mountains (near Monteforte d’Alpone). These slopes go up to 500 M /328 feet, but slope can go from 10% to 80% grade! These wines can sometimes show a cinnamon note from the benzonoids in the wine.
• Limestone hillsides in the west (near Soave) have shallow, rocky subsoils. These wines are more variable since the calcareous content varies depending on the place on the hill. Tropical fruit, floral, apple, and citrus flavors are common.

The Plains

The Soave DOC includes the flat floor of the three valleys, where the soils are deeper, rich in clay, and the climate is very hot in summer, and frosty in the “shoulder seasons” of spring (during budbreak) and fall (during harvest). This valley area includes all the expanded are discussed in the history review, and it is the reason why people have a bad idea about Soave, despite the fact that it is so historic and delicious when made in the right regions.

• Volcanic Plains are mainly in the Monteforte Valley, one of the most fertile areas of Soave. These plains are high in clay and volcanic sediment deposited from the hills above. These are simple wines. (Volcanic Park I mentioned is here)
• The limestone plain contains alluvial valley soils deposited from intense rain along Alpone valley and the foothills around Verona. These are rocky, sandy soils and the wines can be floral, simple, and often overcropped.

Soave Soil Map: https://www.amaronetours.it/wines/soave

The two DOCGs: Recioto di Soave, Soave Superiore

These wines are often from the subzones but they are not required to be. They have their own zone of production that overlaps most of the Soave DOC. They must not contain more than 5% Chardonnay and must be at least 70% Garganega and up to 30% Trebbiano di Soave.

• Recioto di Soave DOCG can be still or sparkling wine. It is made from grapes dried on straw mats outside or in a controlled environment. They must be an minimum of 14% ABV and are an intense golden color, with apricot, floral, and vanilla notes.

• Soave Superiore DOCG, began with the 2002 vintage. These wines must have lower yields, more alcohol, and undergo longer ageing (they are not released until April versus February for the others).  These wines have a darker color, richer flavors, stronger floral notes, and are weightier. The issue: they aren’t representative of the style of Soave, so a lot producers aren’t using the DOCG. It’s possible this will be the first DOCG that is rescinded – but stay tuned!

Soave's hillside vineyards.. Photo from Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave

Food Pairings: Soave is lovely with food because it has acidity and delicate aromas. Perfect pairings are simple risottos with parmesan cheese, seafood and vegetable pastas, and grilled white fish and seafood or chicken in herbal or citrus preparations.

Go out and get some Soave – it is AWESOME!!

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

_______________________________________________________________

Sources: Most of the information for this show comes from Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave, 

'Soave at the Crossroads' from Meininger's Wine Business Int'l

Italian Wine Central -- Soave

Happy Thanksgiving/Harvest Meal 2022. For this episode, we’re discussing wines that will give you great bang for your buck, pair perfectly with the meal, and impress your guests.

Photo: Pumpkins & Pais!
(c) Wine For Normal People

These pairings are really for any traditional western meal – Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any sort of food that celebrates autumn flavors. 

Here’s the list for 2022...

The Welcome Wine

• Sparkling options: Sekt from Germany (Riesling is best), South African Cap Classique, Lambrusco
• Sherry: Our favorite type of Sherry is Amontillado. It’s great with nuts and generally well liked by people when they try it. Good producers: Hidalgo la Gitana, Valdespino, Lustau, Osbourne, and Bodegas Dios Baco are some great producers.

Dry white wines

• Wines that complement a buttery, savory meal:
  • Grillo from Sicily
  • Pinot Blanc from Alsace
  • Soave from Italy
  • A blend from Lisboa (around Lisbon, Portugal)
  • Verdejo from Spain

• OR More acidic whites -- better with acidic food with a lot of citrus/acidity or for contrast:
  • Vernaccia di San Gimignano (Tuscany)
  • Australian Riesling from the Clare and Eden Valleys
  • Finger Lakes Riesling

Off Dry Whites for dishes with fruit or with sweetness (yams, corn):

• Mosel Riesling from Germany
• Off-dry Finger Lakes Riesling
• Vouvray from the Loire Valley, France

Light Reds and rosé (good with turkey, ham, pork):

• Frappato from Sicily
• País from Chile (similar to Beaujolais)
• Zweigelt from Austria
• Rosé: Tavel from Rhône, Côte de Provence, or something from your local winery

Heavier reds (for non-turkey meals):

• Bordeaux – general Bordeaux or Bordeaux Superieur for MVP, Right Bank (St. Emilion, Fronsac) and Côtes de Bordeaux for meats or heavier vegetables with more delicate, herbal flavors, Médoc for more robust meats with more charred notes
• Primitivo for robust meats
• Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon or Carménere for heavily flavored, braised, charred meat

Dessert:

• Ruby Port for chocolate desserts
• Muscat-based wines – Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, Muscat de Rivesaltes for fruit or custard desserts
• Bring back the off-dry Sekt or Lambrusco from the beginning of the meal to enjoy at the end of the meal. Lambrusco is good with berry or cherry desserts, Sekt with apple and custards

Tips:

• Don’t buy too much wine.
• If you have a limited number of drinkers, limit the choices for the meal. If you plan to serve dessert wine, don’t go overboard with options at the beginning of the meal or you’ll have no takers.
• If your meal has a theme – it’s very savory or is very vegetable focused, stick to the wine that will best suit those dishes and don’t offer too many choices

Check out the Wine For Normal People book for more tips on pairing! 

Have a safe, happy, healthy holiday. We are so grateful to you for listening and for your continued support!!

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

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To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

For decades, Aldo Vacca has been the Managing Director of the Produttori del Barbaresco, the best and most successful wine co-op in Europe. Through his leadership and guidance, the Produttori has taken its wines, and with it, the wines of Barbaresco beyond Piedmont in northeastern Italy, to world renown. Aldo’s job at the Produttori is not just an occupation, it is his family legacy and a professional choice he made that has benefitted all who love Nebbiolo.

Photo: www.rarewineco.com

Aldo took a degree in Viticulture at the Torino University and worked at the prestigious University of California at Davis, after which he got one of the most coveted jobs in Piedmont – he got a job working for Gaja in 1986. But after 4 years, he realized that rather than fame and modernism, he wanted to do something that celebrated the land of Barbaresco and all it represented. He followed in the footsteps of his great grandfather and used his infinite knowledge of Nebbiolo and his skills at management and hospitality, to transform the Produttori into one of the best-known brands in Italy.

I have spent time with Aldo. He’s brilliant, cheeky, and passionate, and after two years, I’m so happy to have finally gotten him on the show. Aldo speaks to groups about the Produttori all the time, has been in lots of media, and he is absolute pro. This is a great show!

Here is a general outline of what we discuss:

• We discuss the harvest that just was (2022) – what was hard, what was normal, and the changes that the Barbaresco region has endured as climate change has taken hold here.

• Aldo discusses his family legacy in Barbaresco and how it ties into the region’s development. He tells us about the hard times in the region and how the Cantine Sociali and then the Produttori were formed to address the social and economic challenges of grape farmers in the 1800s and then again in the mid 1900s.

• We learn about the structure of the Produttori and how its quality standards, efficiency, and generosity make it so successful. Aldo tells us how the Produttori has managed to hold its members to such high standards.

Photo: Bottling at the Produttori del Barbaresco in May 2022
(c)Wine For Normal People 

• We get into the details on some of the logistics, the management and membership structure, and the winemaking philosophy (to let Barbaresco shine!). We discuss the extras the members get – knowledge sharing, status and prestige by being part of the Produttori, and the incentives to farm for quality not quantity. And why owning great land yields to great results – they own pieces of the best vineyards.

• Aldo tells us about the Barbaresco DOCG – the land, factors that make it different from Barolo, and the overview of the style of wine here. He talks about the MGA system (he refers to it as single vineyard, which is what they are) and what it means for the area.

• Aldo and I talk about the wines the Produttori makes, we discuss the flagship Barbaresco and how it is made, and the very affordable and delicious Langhe Nebbiolo, an important product to show people who are just getting into Nebbiolo what it can do and be. Aldo also helps us understand their single vineyard wines and why each expresses something so unique and individual, based on site

Photo: Aldo Vacca educates Wine For Normal People Patrons
(c)Wine For Normal People

• We end with a conversation of why the new generation of winemakers and land owners in Barbaresco is so great and Aldo’s great hope for a bright future for Barbaresco and the Produttori.

Here are links to all the wines the Produttori makes:

NEBBIOLO LANGHE D.O.C.

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G.

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA ASILI

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MONTEFICO

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MONTESTEFANO

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MUNCAGOTA

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA OVELLO

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA PAJÈ

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA PORA

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA RABAJÀ

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA RIO SORDO

Photo: www.rarewineco.com

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This week's show is about the essential art of cooperage, or barrel making. Aussie winemaker and current US National Sales Manager for Tonnellerie Radoux, Craig Holme, takes us through how barrels are made, from forest to cellar. We discuss sustainability (Hint: the issue isn't the barrels or the trees, it's the fact that they come on container ships fully assembled, as winemakers order. Hello, carbon footprint!), how different regions look at barrels, and how barrels are a very personal thing to a winemaker. A cool look inside of an essential part of wine!

Thanks to the Patrons for their insightful questions that augmented the show! To join Patreon, click here. 

Here are the show notes:

1. Craig tells us briefly about his early life in Mount Benson, South Australia where his family farmed Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. He discusses how he worked in the wine industry, working harvests around the world, and then becoming a winemaker himself. For 10 years, Craig and his wife owned a small wine brand, called Holme Estate Cellars, which specialized in Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz sourced from their family vineyards in Australia. They also bought Zinfandel and Chardonnay from California. He moved into barrels about 10 years ago.

2. We discuss the process of barrel making:

• Forests -- Troncais, Limousin, Atelier, and American and Hungarian wood
• The age and requirements for a tree to make barrels (only 2-3 barrels come out of each tree. You read that right). We discuss the French laws and a bit about forestry management
• Radoux's proprietary tannin scanning method -- Oakscan
• Splitting wood
• Seasoning wood -- what it accomplishes, where it's done, the terroir of seasoning
• Toasting oak -- the process, toast levels available, how toasting is done, and the most popular toasts

Radoux's wood, fresh from the forest

3. We discuss the size and shape of the barrel and why it matters (Bordeaux is 225L, Burgundy is 228 L, we explain why they are different and the other common options for barrel size)

One of Radoux's yard for seasoning the staves 

4. I become just slightly obsessed with the elephant in the room -- It is completely wasteful for barrels to be assembled in France or Missouri or Eastern Europe and shipped to California, Washington, etc. It's not the fault of the barrel makers, but the expectations of the winemakers. Craig tells us where winemakers are about shipping air thousands of miles, and wasting space in cargo ships, rail and trucks (the coopers are businesses, they are fulfilling orders, it's the winemakers that are mainly at fault here for not demanding assembly close to home). 

5. We discuss how winemakers pick barrels and what the choices could lead to in the wine. 

Fire shapes and bends the barrels, then toasts them

6. Finally we end with some trends and the fact that oak is awesome, and it's an essential part of wine. 

Thanks to Radoux and Craig Holme for joining the show!

All photos from https://www.tonnellerieradoux.com/

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Dr. Kevin Pogue, PhD, professor, geologist, and terroir expert educates us on terroir. This podcast is like taking a terroir class: it debunks so many things that people spout in reference books, at wineries, and in mainstream press about the topic! He explains things brilliantly and he is one of the first people I've ever met who actually has answers to my really dorky questions about terroir. 

Photo: Kevin Pogue. From Vinterra.net

As more detail, Kevin is one of the most famous people in the field of terroir. He's considered the foremost terroir expert on Washington State wine and he’s known around the world -  his work has been featured in both national and international journals. He's a licensed geologist and professor of geology at Whitman College in Walla Walla. Kevin has a doctorate in geology from Oregon State University, and decades of college teaching and research experience. He has authored books, articles, and done extensive research on the terroir of the Pacific northwest, with a good portion of this time spent on investigating the deposits of the Missoula floods, which were the pivotal event that formed the geological base of the region. 

Kevin’s research today focuses on terroir. He owns a consulting company, Vinterra, through which he assists wineries in choosing the best vineyard sites, matching grape to site, and educating winery owners and winemakers and their customers on why their specific terroir leads to the style in their wine. 

Photo: Whitman.edu

I need to thank Eric McKibben from Amavi and Pepper Bridge for the introduction. 

Here are the items we discuss:

• Kevin tells us about his past, studying the Himalyan thrust belt, and how he got into wine in Walla Walla
• To set our baseline, Kevin defines terroir, referring to the definition of terroir from the OIV (International Organization of Vine and Wine)

The majority of the show is spent with Kevin clearing up many, many things we hear about terroir, much of which is not exactly correct. We cover...

• Why grapes that grow on slopes are often of higher quality than those on the valley floor.
  
  
  
• Why slopes can be warmer even though altitude makes them cooler (VERY confusing -- temperature drops 1˚C for every 100 meters of altitude yet during the coldest times, the slopes are warmer due to air density!)
  
  
  
• The benefits of south, southeast, and southwest facing slopes in the northern hemisphere and what actually happens with temperatures of the soil to have this make an appreciable difference.

• Solar radiation and how it plays a part in ripening and quality of the grapes. We get into whether slope angle actually matters.

• DIRT! Kevin is a geologist and he rocks my world talking about the two or three REALLY key factors of soil and what you may be tasting in the wine that is reflective of the terroir. We also discuss the role of irrigation and whether that makes wine or a more manipulated beverage.
  
  
  
• Kevin helps me understand the “terroir deniers” and the argument he makes to try to convince them.
  
  
  
• Washington State, discussing the AVA petition for the Rocks of Milton Freewater, which makes some of the most distinctive Syrah in the world. Kevin discusses this unique plot and why some of the wines taste so much of place (“funk”) and some are just ok. 

Photo: https://rocksdistrict.com/terroir

• How AVAs are made, what goes into it and whether or not they are meaningful or meaningless. We compare the AVA system in the US to the PDO system in Europe.

To me, this is the most comprehensive look at terroir I have ever received. I hope you learn as much as I did in the show. This is Kevin’s first show with me, but it won’t be his last! I hope you love the super dork out that is this show!! 

_________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

In this show we welcome back Édouard Miailhe, proprietor of Château Siran in the Margaux appellation of the Médoc (he was on Episode 391, as part of our Médoc series, discussing his role as the president of the Margaux appellation and a small bit about the Château). He joins to talk about many things that we didn’t cover in the first show, and the exciting things happening now, including the fact that Château Siran’s 2018 vintage was named the #1 wine of 2021 by Wine Enthusiast Magazine!

Édouard Miailhe, owner of Château Siran, photo by Wine For Normal People

After meeting Édouard in person, tasting the wines, and seeing what is happening at Siran, I agree that magazine made the right decision. Siran has some of the most vibrant energy in Bordeaux and some of the best wines. And Édouard is really just getting started.

Château Siran

In addition to this, the show covers something we did not at all address in the first show: the role of the Miailhe family as discussed in the book “Wine and War” by Donald and Petie Kladstrup. The book was written two decades ago but is still a fantastic read. In our first conversation, Édouard never mentioned that his family’s bravery, sacrifice, and dedication to wine and the essence of being a Frenchman during the war makes them some of the bravest, most empathetic, clever, and principled families in the wine world.

Here are some of the things we discuss in the show:

1. Édouard chronicles his family history in the Médoc, and how they came to manage Château Siran through family ties in 1888, with wine broker Fréderic Miailhe.

2. We talk about how his great grandfather Édouard Miailhe and great uncle, Louis Miailhe, saved many prestigious Left Bank properties from bankruptcy and ruin -Pichon Lalande, Coufran, Dauzac, and part of Château Palmer in the early 1900s through investments that others were unwilling to make.

Château Siran

3. I make Édouard discuss his family story in World War II. We discuss weinführers, the invasive and destructive nature of the German troops in Bordeaux, and how his family saved the lives of two Italian Jewish families by sheltering them at Château Palmer, until they were able to get papers to smuggle them out of the country. We discuss how the continued acts of patriotism through investment and saving French wine properties in Bordeaux led to the signed picture of Winston Churchill that is at Château Siran.

4. Édouard discusses his aunt, May-Eliane Miailhe de Lencquesaing, who played a role in helping keep the Jewish family alive, became an icon in Bordeaux wine, and later moved to South Africa and started her own brand. Édouard and I discuss his view on women in wine and his family’s unflagging support of women through the decades.

Marjolaine Defrance, Édouard Miailhe, Charlotte (hospitality manager)

5. Édouard talks about how the right investments in the vineyard and winery, and the right enologist (a very young, talented, Marjolaine Defrance) led to Château Siran being the number one wine in the world according to Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

Siran's 160th anniversary bottle

6. Édouard talks about the revival of original art on the labels of Château Siran. His parents began the tradition of picking a theme for the label that reflected the events of that particular year. The bottles were pieces of art, but also were easily recognizable because of the moment in time they represented. Édouard has revived the tradition for the 2020 vintage, with Frederica Matta, the French and Chilean artist representing the difficult year of isolation in Covid, but the uplifting part of reconnecting with nature, and being grateful for its sights and smells.

Revival of the artist label with the 2020 vintage. Art by Frederica Matta, photo courtesy of Ch. Siran

7. We end by discussing some of Édouard’s worries about climate change but also about his hopefulness about the ever-improving quality of Margaux wines and how the appellation seems to be working together better than ever before, a great thing for them and for those of us who drink their wines.

My opinion: Château Siran is a very unique and delicious bottle of wine and extremely well-priced for what it delivers. The addition of Petit Verdot in the wine makes it unlike other wines you may have tasted and it is well worth it to buy it, hold it and taste the beauty in the bottle!!

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

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To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

As in the first show, we don't need much in the notes besides this wonderful map from the Vins de Bourgogne site, but I'll throw a few things down here just for recap.

Here are the show notes:

• We discuss the pricing of Burgundy and why wines are so expensive. We talk about the difference between Burgundy and Napa that was sparked by a conversation on Patreon. Here is the podcast I talk about with Laurent Delaunaywhere we address some of the pricing issues. We talk a bit about the negociant system and the secondary market before moving to the communes.

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This show covers the southern communes of the Côte de Beaune only, from Blagny to Marange 

Blagny (Blaeh-NE  -- Pinot Noir)

• Between Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, Blagny is a small village appellation with red wines exclusively of Pinot Noir. The majority of wine is classified as Premier Cru. Whites are permitted to be Meursault or Puligny-Montrachet, but not Blagny – since white is often better here, Blagny is not well-known because the name is only for red
• Blagny has steeper vineyards than most spots in Burgundy and they are at higher altitudes 340- 400 metres/1,116 -1,312 ft vineyards. In the past, vignerons didn’t want to make wine in the village because it was too cool, but with climate change it is becoming more popular
• Blagny’s Pinot is like red fruit, black fruit, sandalwood, and spice. With age which it needs because tannins can be strong, leather, pepper, cocoa, licorice, earthy, gamy notes appear.

St. Aubin: (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)

• Aubin is between Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet, but it does not lie on the main Côte d’Or escarpment, but rather in a valley west of Chassagne. In warmer years, this cooler climate area does well, especially the top Premier cru En Remilly, Murgers des Dents de Chien (means teeth of the dog -due to the sharp stones there) and La Chatenière
• Aubin grows a majority of white (Chardonnay), and the best sites arecloser to Puligny and Chassagne. Common notes are white flowers, lime, flint, chalk, mineral, almond, hazelnut, orange, mineral, and cinnamon. St. Aubin blanc can be sharp in youth or can be full – depending on vintage, terroir and producer. With age the wine is more like beeswax and honey and marzipan. Whites can age up to 10 years. The Pinot Noir is has black fruit with spice and cocoa notes. The wine can be tannic in youth but becomes softer and more herbal with 5-8 years.

Puligny-Montrachet & Chassagne-Montrachet (with Meursault, termed the "Côte des blancs" or “the slope of the "whites"

Puligny-Montrachet  (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir)

• A very small vineyard area (95 ha/235 acres) of nearly all Chardonnay –the terroir is complex in Puligny. The hillside has many different limestone, marl, and alluvial soils. The slopes face east and southeast. Four Grands Crus of Montrachet are located in the borders of Puligny.  Top Premiers Crus: Le Cailleret, Les Pucelles, Les Demoiselles, Les Combettes, Folatières
• The Chardonnay is known for floral, mineral, marzipan, hazelnut, lemongrass, croissant, honey, lemon curd, limeade, peach, and green apple aromas and flavors. Producers traditionally use oak fermentation and aging but the flavors are restrained.
• We discuss the Grands Crus, all in the southern part of the appellation:
• Bâtard-Montrachet (10.27 ha/25.38 acres, shared with Chassagne) and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet (3.43 ha/8.48 acres, all in Puligny) are lower down the hill from Montrachet. The wines are honeyed and minerally, but less rich than Le Montrachet and Chevalier-Montrachet
• Le Montrachet (9.59 ha/ 23.7 acres, shared with Chassagne) is considered the best white wine on earth. The Grand Cru is from the ideal mid-slope. The wines are (apparently) elegant with powerful fruit, minerality, smoke, toasty aromas and flavors. Bottles start at about US$600/bottle
• Chevalier-Montrachet (7.48 ha/18.48 acres, only in Puligny) is nearly as good as Le Montrachet, lying at a higher elevation, with less clay

Photo Credit: BIVB 

Chassagne (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir)

• Chassagne is one of the largest communes in the Cote d’Or with 761 acres/308 ha – Chardonnay is 70% of production and Pinot Noir is 30%.
• With complex soils, there is a range of quality and flavor in the village wines. The Chardonnay has pronounced mineral, white flower (verbena, honeysuckle), toasted almonds, toast (from oak), and fresh butter. The wine can be like peach in riper years. They are full but always have a backbone of acidity. The Pinots are fruity with black fruit, strawberry briar, and earth notes. It is soft but has tannin and needs time to mellow.
• There are 55 Premier crus of varying quality, since most of the steep slopes are for Premier Crus and Grands Crus of Chardonnay, much of the Village wine on the flatter areas is Pinot Noir
• Grands Crus: Shared with Puligny: Bâtard Montrachet, Le Montrachet
  • Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet: 100% in Chassagne -- 1.57 ha/3.88 acres, very small production

From the Bourgogne Website: To remember their names, here is the story they offer:

The Seigneur of Montrachet set off on a crusade, entrusting his virgin daughter to his favorite Chevalier (knight). In his absence, what happened, happened, and a child was born illegitimately. On his return from the Crusades, the Seigneur discovered this Bâtard (bastard), who started to cry when he saw him. The Seigneur then said: “Criots-Bâtard!” (The bastard cries!). But he was a good man, and welcomed the child into the family with these words: “Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet” (Welcome, Bastard of Montrachet).

Santenay  (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)

• This is the last major village of the Côte d’Or and makes nearly all red wine, only 1/8 is Chardonnay. The orientation is still eastern and southern but here there is a shift to more southerly facing vineyards, still with limestone and clay.
• Santenay’s Pinot Noir is earthy, with dark flower notes like rose petals, violet, red fruit and licorice. It can have lighter tannin, is acidic, and is a great intro to Burgundy that we can sort of afford. The Chardonnay is minerally and floral with great acidity, and a trace of nuts and spice.

Maranges MAHR-ohnjhze (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)

• This is where a total shift takes place and the Côte de Beaune terroir changes. In Maranges, the hills face south and southwest and the slopes become gentler, soils break down and become more of a patchwork. Gentler slopes, more heat and heavy clay lead to dark, rich wines (they were used as vins de médecin, to beef up the wines of the Côte de Nuits in bad years, so they never focused much on their own quality). Maranges is located in a different administrative department, Saône-et-Loire, where the Côte Chalonnaise lies. It’s made up of three villages of Cheilly-lès-Maranges, Dezize lès-Maranges and Sampigny-lès-Maranges
• The Pinot Noir is fuller and darker with red preserves, black cherry, earth, licorice, pepper, and less nuance. The wines have smooth tannin, medium acidity and are similar to those of the Côte Chalonnaise. The Chardonnay is floral with minerals and honey, it is an easy drinking wine.

We hope you enjoyed the two part series on the Côte de Beaune. Lots to learn and this is just the start.

Photo Credit: BIVB 

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

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To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

We don't need much in the notes besides this wonderful map from the Vins de Bourgogne site, but I'll throw a few things down here just for recap.

This week’s show covers the Côte de Beaune: the southern part of Côte d’Or, the famed ‘golden slope’ of Burgundy. The Côte de Beaune lies between the villages of Ladoix-Serrigny in the north and the Maranges in the south. In the north, there is delicious Pinot Noir but, in the south, you will find some of the most famed, stunning Chardonnay on earth. The topic is so big and a bit daunting so we cover the northern half of the Côte de Beaune in this episode, laying out the details of what is in each commune. We attempt to provide a structure for understanding this very difficult and detailed topic that is really a study in terroir, mostly as a basis for future podcasts that dive deeper into these appellations.

Here are the show notes:

Overview:

• The Côte de Beaune is about 20 – 25 km /12 or 16 miles from north to south. This region is not flat, with most grape growing occurring above 200 meters/650+ feet
• The Côte de Beaune is part of the limestone escarpment that covers the Côte de Nuits but in the Côte de Beaune, the soil is younger and the hillsides gentler. The limestone found in the Côte de Nuits is submerged at the southern tip at Nuits-St. Georges and re-emerges in Meursault
• The Côte de Beaune makes both red of Pinot Noir and white of Chardonnay (occasionally with some other grapes added). Although it produces slightly more red than white, Côte de Beaune is most famed for its Chardonnay from the Montrachet vineyards (covered in the next episode)
• Due to the escarpment, Côte de Beaune, faces east, picking up morning sun, rather than hotter afternoon sun

What is here?

• Around the town of Beaune and north, the vineyards are mainly planted to Pinot Noir with some pockets of stunning Chardonnay. From Meursault south, Chardonnay dominates the wines in most villages
• 20 Villages make up the Côte de Beaune
• Grands Crus vineyards include
  • Corton, Corton Charlemagne
  • Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet, Bâtard-Montrachet, Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet, Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet (covered in the next episode)

Structure of the AOC:

• Regional appellations of the Côte de Beaune include: Hautes Côtes de Beaune, Côte de Beaune – Villages, and Côte de Beaune
• Village Appellations covered in this episode: Ladoix-Serrigny, Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Chorey-lès-Beaune, Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Monthélie, Meursault, Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses

And then there are…

• Premiers Crus vineyards/ climate (we refer to a few specifically)
• Grands Crus vineyards: Corton, Corton Charlemagne

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This show covers the northern communes only, from the Cortons to Meursault in three “clusters”

Cluster 1: The Corton Cluster -- Ladoix-Serrigny, Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton

• These villages make up the hill of Corton and link the Côte de Nuits with the Côte de Beaune
• Corton hill is at altitudes between 200 and 300 m /656-984 ft. The soil is reddish brown with flint and limestone (known as “chaillots”)
  • Wines from the northern end are softer, fruity, growing in lighter, pebbly soil
  • Wines from the southern end grow in clay and marl soils, and are more tannic, acidic, complex
  • Corton is the biggest grand cru in Bourgogne - 1/3 of all grand cru wine is from here
  • Corton and Corton-Charlemagne (nested AOC) together make up 150.55 ha/ 372.01 acres
  • Corton-Charlemagne is a famed Chardonnay grand cru vineyard

The Village AOCs of the Corton Cluster…

Ladoix-Serrigny (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)

• Where the Côte de Beaune begins -- Ladoix is the most northerly of the villages of the Côte de Beaune. It has 11 premier cru, plus the grand cru of Corton. Village wine can be good value.
• Ladoix produces mainly Pinot Noir with red berry fruit character, and soft, silky textures. Its Chardonnay is medium-full with acidity and is often like flowers, quince, spicy pear.

Pernand-Vergelesses (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)

• Located in the northwest corner of the hills of the Côte de Beaune, Pernand has 8 Premier Crus plus the grand cru of Corton. It makes soft, lighter style village wine.
• The appellation makes a bit more red than white. Its Pinot Noir is like red fruit and flowers, becoming spicier and earthier with age. The red can be bold with tannins.
  The Chardonnays are reminiscent of white flowers (acacia) and minerals with honey and spice flavors as it ages.

Aloxe-Corton – (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, pronounced “Alosse”)

• Dominated by Corton on the east side of the hill, Aloxe has most of the grand cru of Corton within its boundaries, with 14 premier cru sites under it. Aloxe is considered the best area on the hill of Corton.
• Aloxe makes almost all robust Pinot Noir with peony, jasmine, nut, mushroom, truffle notes in a fuller bodied wine. Whites are quite rare.

Cluster 2: The Beaune Cluster

The Village AOCs of the Beaune Cluster…

Savigny-lès-Beaune (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)

• Savigny is the third biggest appellation by production in the Côte de Beaune, and lies between the hill of Corton and Beaune. It contains no grand cru vineyards and 22 premiers crus. These wines are often affordable.
• Savigny is a predominantly a Pinot Noir appellation. Blackcurrant, cherry, raspberry, violet aromas and flavors are common. The Chardonnay can be quite unique, as it is sometimes co-planted with Pinot Blanc or Pinot Beurot (like Pinot Gris), giving the wines less acidity but adding a spicy component. They show flowery, citrus, mineral aromas and flavors, and depending on producer -- creamy butter, brioche, good acidity 
• There is a split in styles depending on terroir:  northern vineyards make more nuanced, spicier, and more acidic wines, and southern vineyards produce more rustic styles, fruity, tannic styles

Chorey-lès-Beaune (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)– appellation 1970, until then used  Aloxe Corton or Savigny

• Another satellite of Beaune producing mostly red wine in a similar style to Beaune and Savigny, but lighter. Chorey is on the lower slopes of the Côte de Beaune and plantings lie on both sides of the main highway for village wines. Since most of the commune is on the “wrong” side of the road (according to Clive Coates, not my assessment) it’s more affordable and a good value
• Chorey is nearly all Pinot Noir that shows bright cherry notes, raspberry, some black fruit, with licorice, leather, earth, and ginger with time. The wine has soft tannins and can be very light and fruity. Chorey produces a very small amount of good, floral, nutty Chardonnay

Beaune (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)

• The commercial center of the Côte d'Or, most big negociants are located here or have big holdings in Beaune. It has a deep history in Bourgogne, including the tradition of the Hospices de Beaune charity wine auction, which was started to support the charity hospital for the poor (it is now a museum at the Hôtel-Dieu). The auction of wines on the third Sunday in November sets a benchmark for prices for that vintage for all of Bourgogne
• Although mainly Pinot Noir, with black and red fruit, earthy, spicy notes, the character of Beaune’s wine is VERY Variable because the village is so large with 42 Premiers Crus and no Grand Crus, but plenty of Village wines. Whites of Chardonnay are less common. They have almond, dried fruits, white flowers and bright acidity. Of note is Clos de Mouches by Domaine Drouhin, a Premier Cru wine that is often consider the best white Beaune

Côte de Beaune Villages (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)

• Contains Pinot Noir from any one or a combination of 14 villages: Auxey-Duresses, Chassagne-Montrachet, Chorey- lès- Beaune, Ladoix-Serrigny, Meursault, Monthélie, Pernand-Vergelesses, Puligny-Montrachet, Saint-Aubin, Saint-Romain, Santenay, Savigny-lès- Beaune. In the Saône-et-Loire Department:Cheilly-lès-Maranges, Dezize-lès-Maranges, Sampigny-lès-Maranges, Remigny.
  • Excluded Villages: Aloxe-Corton, Beaune, Pommard, and Volnay
• Wines from Côtes de Beaune Villages are usually for young vines, wines that aren’t up to the standard of Village, OR for negociants who make blends

Côte de Beaune (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)

• Is not Côte de Beaune Villages but covers a specific piece of land up on the hill of Mont Batois between Savigny and Beaune
• Grown at higher altitudes, the Pinots are characterized by farmyard, earth, red berries, good acidity, strong tannin and the Chardonnay has marked acidity with citrus, grass, mineral, and occasionally hazelnut notes.

• Pommard makes some of the most tannic and full-bodied wines from the Cote d’Or. With Corton, Pommard’s Pinot is considered the best red of the Cotes de Beaune – rich, chunky, incense-like, spicy with dark fruit, and very complex but fruitier and less complex than the wines from the Côte de Nuits
• The village wines are spectacular, as well as the wines from the 28 premiers crus (the best known of which are Les Rugiens and Les Épenots)

Volnay (Pinot Noir only)

• One of the smaller communes in Côte de Beaune, Volnay is between Pommard and Monthélie and Meursault. It contains no grand cru, only 29 premiers crus vineyards. The soils are lighter, which makes the wines softer and lighter as well.
• The Pinot Noir is aromatic, floral, with cherry and red berry notes. With age it becomes spicy and even animal-like with farmyard notes. Volnay is marked by good acidity with lower tannin, and it can be consumed younger than most other red Burgundies from the Cote de Beaune. Reds grown in Meursault are called Volnay-Santenots to keep Volnay and all red wine appellation and Meursault an all-white wine appellation

Monthélie (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, pronounced Mont’lie)

• Between Volnay and Meursault, Monthélie is a continuation of the Volnay slope. It is a small AOC will 15 premiers crus
• Reds are like black fruits (cherry, blackcurrant), dark flowers with earth and spices as they age. They tend to be light in character with mild tannins and good acidity. The Chardonnay is a very small part of production for this village.

Meursault (Mainly Chardonnay with a small amount of Pinot Noir)

• Meursault is incredibly consistent in quality but styles vary because of the diverse terroir. There are a variety of orientations on the hillsides, from due south through due east. Although many think it shouldn’t be so, there are no grand cru vineyards in Meursault, only 19 premiers crus of which Charmes, Perrières and Genevrières are famed. The village wines can be excellent as well.
• The Chardonnay is rich, ripe and sometimes higher in alcohol with toasted almonds, hazelnuts, mineral (flint), lime and lemon notes. Depending on the winemaker the wines may also show -- butter, honey, and toast.

Auxey-Duresses (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, pronounced “Aussey”)

• West of Monthélie at the opening to a wide valley, this small village makes floral, berry scented Pinot Noir that can be harsh with tannin in its youth but softer with leather, spice, and musk notes with 5+ years of age. The Chardonnay is aromatic with nuts, mineral, and apple notes and strong acidity.

Saint Romain  (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, 1947 AOC)

• Known primarily for whites that are citrusy, floral, and mineral-like with good acidity, Saint Romain also makes spicy, smoky (albeit less “pretty” than other, more prestigious areas) Pinot Noir that can age well for 10 years.

So ends our first installment of the Côte de Beaune. It’s a lot of information but it gives a backdrop so that when we do deeper dives into these AOC Villages, there is an overview to rely on!

Stay tuned next week for Part deux!

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

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To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This week’s show is short but extremely valuable! We tell you about one of the best value regions in the wine world: Lisboa, the area around Lisbon in Portugal.

Although it has extensive hills and regional variation in climate, the real action is less in the smaller DOCs (Denominacão de Origem Controlada) and more within the larger Lisboa IPR (Indicação de Proveniência Regulamentada or Protected Designation of Origin). Using the freedom of the larger IPR, winemakers are making spectacular blends of native and international grapes for prices that seem too good to be true.

The city of Lisbon. Photo: Pexels

The pressure is off to feel like you have to age these wines, spend a lot of money, or save these bottles for a special occasion. For less than US$10 you can often get a lovely bottle of red or white that drinks above its price point and is great for weeknight drinking. 

Here are the show notes:

We give an overview of the Lisboa Region

• Location: It’s the wine region around the capital of Portugal, Lisbon. It extends 150 km/93 miles up the coast, following the Serra de Montejunto, which go north from Lisbon, and divide Lisboa in half. Wines near the Atlantic side in the west are influenced by strong winds, mists, and weather. On the other side of the hills, the climate is warmer and the ripening more predictable (the wines are often better!)
  
  
• One of Portugal’s most prolific regions (there are many co-ops here), until recently it was called Estremadura and was relatively unknown until it changed the name of the IPR to Lisboa, making it easier to recognize on the shelf
  
  
• Wine has been made in the region since the Phoenicians and regions around Lisbon became famed in England over the centuries but have lost much of their cachet
  
  

Map: Wines of Lisboa 

 Terroir:

• Lisboa is a large, hilly, varied region with two main soil types: clay-limestone and clay-sand
• Due to the mountains and Atlantic influence, there are hundreds of microclimates so wines come in many styles
• The climate is either marked by strong Atlantic influence on the coast with high winds and fall rains OR by a Mediterranean climate, when the vines are protected by the Montejunto

Grapes: More than 30 grape varieties are used, the majority for white wine production. Almost all are blends. The main grapes include:

• Whites: Arinto, Fernão Pires, Malvasia, Seara-Nova, Vital with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and other international whites. They tend to favor the Arinto grape and can have richness but with balanced acidity to go well with seafood.
• Reds: Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Castelão, Tinta Miúda (Graciano), Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and other international reds. Reds are known to be quite fruity but with balanced acidity and tannin and no to low oak treatment

Arinto grape. Photo: Wines of Portugal 

Subregions: There are nine DOCS within a short drive of the capital city

• South, very close to Lisbon: Bucelas, Colares and Carcavelos
• Center: Alenquer, Arruda, Lourinhã, Óbidos, Torres Vedras
• North: Encostas d'Aire

Photo: Courtesy of MC Ice

Here is a short summary of the DOCs:

Bucelas: “the prince of Portuguese wine” this is the best of Lisboa’s regions for white wine and as such, it’s delimited only for whites. Arinto dominates and is likely native to here. The wines are like citrus and they have high acidity with salinity, minerality and sparkling Bucelas is also made successfully in the region. This wine was famed during the Age of Exploration, cited by Shakespeare in Henry VI, and a favorite of the royal family in England under King George III

Colares: Very close to Atlantic, northwest of Lisbon, there are only166 acres/67 ha left to this DOC. The area gained fame because it was one of the only places in Europe never touched by phylloxera -- its loose sandy soils allowed ungrafted Ramisco vines to thrive on coastal sand, even while everything else perished. The sandy soils have clay underneath to hold the grapes in the ground. The Malvasia Fina grape makes aromatic whites, and the famed red is the flavorful, tannic Ramisco with Castelão

Photo: Sands of Colares, (c) Wines of Portugal

Carcavelos: A small area of just 47 acres/19 ha, Carcavelos is west of Lisbon and the area is pretty much gone because of urban sprawl, although some producers are reviving the fortified sweet wine of Galego Dourado, Ratinho, Castelão and Arinto. The wine can be vintage or non-vintage, white or red  

Alenquer: The most esteemed of the sub-regions with Bucelas, Alenquer is an inland region on the southeast side of the Serra de Montejunto. The mountains shield Alenquer from cold, Atlantic winds. The warmer climate ensures good ripening of red grapes, although aromatic whites and rosé are also made in Alenquer. The wines are blends of the main grapes (mentioned above)

Óbidos: Located near the Peniche peninsula, west of the Candeeiros mountains, and an hour north of Lisbon, this very windy and cold area is close to the coast and makes top sparkling wines. Cold, wet winds, and high humidity seep in through breaks in the mountains, making viticulture a challenge. The moisture promotes vigor, so it is very hard to make quality dry wine here, although some producers are trying to make red.  

Arruda: Behind hills, protected from storms, Arruda makes red and whites (mainly blends) from indigenous and international grapes. The reds are better known than the whites.

Torres Vedras: A bulk wine region of red and white grapes. Most of the wines are designated Vinho de Mesa even though it is a DOC

Lourinhã: Windy and cold, the grapes don’t ripen so this area is demarcated for Aguardente or Brandy. The sauce is made from the Tália varietal, which is Ugni Blanc (also used to make Cognac and Armagnac)

Encostas d’Aire: On limestone slopes and hills in the western Candeiros and Aire Mountiains, this DOC makes full, fruity reds, and acidic but ripe whites from traditional grapes. It’s the largest DOC in Lisboa.

Lisbon, Photo: Pixabay

Bonus: MC Ice was just there so he shares some advice on food and wine pairing! 

Lisbon is a great city to visit and it’s easy to get to the wine regions. Better yet, it’s SO affordable that traveling there nightly through your glass is 100% attainable!

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

There are many parts of European and American cultures that have intermingled, some quite successfully, but the jury is still out on whether the vitis vinifera and the American vitis species have created something truly special and lasting. In this show, we break down European-American grapevine hybrids – what they are, why they are more important to the conversation today, their history, how they are made and what some of the more popular and more successful grapes are. We wrap with a conversation of the challenges these grapes face and I give my view on what I think the role of hybrids will be in the future. 

Photo (c) Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Here are the show notes:

What are hybrids?

For wine purposes, hybrids are grapes created by crossing two or more vitis species – the European species of grapevine, Vitis vinifera, with any number of native North American grapes. The goal of hybrids is to select for specific, superior traits in each of the grapes to create something that will yield a great wine that will survive in challenging vineyard conditions. They were specifically created in the 1860s and 1870s to fight the phylloxera epidemic (vine killing root louse that nearly destroyed Europe’s vineyards). French researchers created more than 500 different plants in the 1860s and research continued in the early 1900s. In the end, the preferred solution was using American roots with Vitis vinifera grafts, but the hybrids were quite popular for a few decades. 

Photo (c) Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Today, development of hybrids is still quite active at the University of Minnesota and at Cornell University in New York. Hybrdis are planted all over the US East Coast, Midwest, and the Southern part of the country as well.

Some common American Vitis species with which researchers have crossed Vitis vinifera are: 

Why are we talking about hybrids?

For a long time, I have resisted doing a show on hybrids. They are not very popular, they are not considered fine wine, and I personally don’t enjoy many of them (with big exceptions for the whites that make ice wine, in particular). But in recent years, these grapes have been making more of a mark in the US and the UK and with the rise of climate change, I think these grapes will have a bigger role to play. In addition, people want to make wine and they want to grow things successfully in many different climates. Often, they try to make wines out of Vitis vinifera and fail because of their climate, local diseases and pests, and a bad fit with the European species. I would rather see better wines made from unknown grapes, than people trying to make a product that won’t work.

The vine matter for hybrids has improved greatly and given their hardiness -- hybrids made from Vitis labrusca and Vitis riparia can grow anywhere - -and our growing problems with climate change, it is time to give these another look. Researchers trying to offset warming temperatures, new threats like wildfires, drought, and humidity will need to look at hybrids rather than more powerful fungicides and sprays whose financial and environmental costs are becoming untenable. 

The grapes...

Red Varieties

Chambourcin: Considered one of the best of French-American hybrids, it is a teinturier variety, a red with both dark skin and pulp. It is a dark colored, highly tannic red with dark raspberry, black plum, and cherry notes. It does well with oak aging and is sometimes made in an off-dry style. It is popular in: Ontario (Canada), Missouri, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, New York and New Jersey.

Photo (c) Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Maréchal Foch: Can be a nice spicy wine with a dark berry note and light body. It is grown in the US Midwest and widely in Canada.

Norton (Cynthiana):  Can create wines that are full bodied, with red berry and spice notes, and strong tannin and acidity. It is grown in the Midwestern U.S., and Mid-Atlantic states, especially Virigina. 

Baco Noir: Created by François Baco in France during the phylloxera epidemic, the wine from Baco noir can show cherry, herbal notes with high acidity, and lower tannin. You can find it in Canada, New York, Oregon, and Nova Scotia, as well as in Gascony, France to make Armagnac 

Chancellor:  Is known to have a very dark color with prune, raisin, plum, dried fig, and baked apple notes. It has a medium body with medium acidity and some strong tannin. It can be used alone or in blends and is found in cooler regions of Canada and the U.S. (especially in the Finger Lakes) and Michigan.

Frontenac:  Was released by the University of Minnesota in 1996. It is reportedly dark in color with cherry, perfumey, candied notes, high acidity and high alcohol. It can survive in temperatures as low as -30˚ F, and is found in Minnesota, and the northeastern part of the U.S. and all over Canada.

White Wine Varieties

Vidal Blanc: Potentially the top white hybrid, Vidal is a cross of Ugni Blanc and the hybrid variety, Rayon d’Or. It can be very acidic, and taste and smell like grapefruit, or be richer with pineapple and white flower notes. It is made in off-dry to dry styles, but the grape shines in ice wine in Ontario, Canada and the Finger Lakes, New York. 

Seyval Blanc: An acidic white grape with citrus, melon, peach, grass notes and a very light body, it often benefits from malolactic and/or barrel fermentation and barrel aging. It can be found in Canada, Englan, and in the US in the Finger Lakes and Midwest.

Chardonel: Is a cross of Seyval Blanc x Chardonnay created for its cold hardiness. It has potential as a base for sparkling wine or barrel aged, dry whites in the future. It is grown in Michigan and Arkansas in the US. 

Traminette:  Is a cross: Gewürztraminer x French-American hybrid, Joannes Seyve 23.416. It shows flowers and spice from Gewürztraminer and when allowed the proper amount of skin contact, it can be a refreshing white with good acidity. It is usually an off dry wine from the East Coast and Midwest of the US.

Vignoles:  Is generally an off-dry wine or dessert wine (late harvest) due to its very high acidity, high sugar and susceptibility to botrytis, which can make some very interesting sweet wines. It is found in the Finger Lakes and other parts of eastern North America. 

We end with a discussion of the challenges for hybrids:

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

________________________________________________________

For more information/Sources:

Are Hybrid Grapes the Future of Wine?, Smithsonian Magazine

A Beginner’s Guide to Hybrid Grapes,Wine Enthusiast

The Future of Winemaking Is Hybrid, Wine Industry Advisor

French-American and Other Interspecific Varieties, Cornell University

Here come the Hybrids, The Grapevine Magazine

The Grape Growers Handbook, Ted Goldammer

The Rise and Not Quite Fall of Hybrid Grapes, Ithaca.com

In Italy’s arsenal of great wines of the world, Brunello di Montalcino may be the most coveted of all. Its small production and terroir-driven style represents the pinnacle of Sangiovese, widely considered Italy’s most famed grape. Made in the small and historic Tuscan hilltop village of Montalcino, just south of Siena, the grapes thrive in the climate and soils of this rugged area. Although the youngest of all the Italian greats, Brunello, with its rich flavors, elegant balance of acidity and tannin, and incredible ability to improve with age, is a wine that everyone should experience even if just once in their wine lives. In this show we delve into the nuances of Brunello and talk about just what makes it so special.

Photo: Montalcino town & Vineyards, from Conzorzio di Brunello di Montalcino

Here are the show notes:

Location:

• The small production zone of Montalcino is centered to the northeast of the namesake village in a wooded, hilly area with the most notable feature being Monte Amiata, the highest peak in Southern Tuscany.
• The village is Iabout 25 miles/40 km south of Siena, about 40 miles 77 km from the sea, and 62 miles/100 km from the Apennine Mountains, which affects the climate

History

• I won’t give all the detail we do in the show, but the summary is that Montalcino has had a reputation for special wines for about 600 years but the wine as we know it today wasn’t created until the late 1800s. This is when first Clemente Santi, and then his grandson Ferruccio Biondi-Santi isolated the clones of Brunello/Sangiovese Grosso at their Il Greppo estate and made a wine of a quality the world had rarely seen from Italy. They began better vineyard work, meticulous cellar work, and extended aging that built the reputation of the area. Despite the accolades, the wine was such small production and Montalcino so obscure, that it wasn’t until the 1970s, when others started to recognize the potential in the area and by 1980 the supply of Brunello was adequate for wine lovers to be able to access this wine, created by one passionate family (who sadly no longer owns Biondi-Santi but whose legacy remains!).

Photo from Biondi-Santi

Climate

• Montalcino is marked by a Mediterranean climate: it is dry with some continental conditions. The area gets influences from both the coast and the mountains. Generally speaking it experiences mild summers, that permits gradual ripening of fruit. Although Central Tuscany can experience bad weather,Montalcino is protected by Mount Amiata to South, which blocks from storms and hail from destroying crops

Although everything in the above bullet is kind of true, it’s important to recognize that it’s a generalization: Microclimates really determine the specific wine’s flavor, as does producer sourcing and style. PLACE is so important…

Land

• Montalcino is unique in that it’s elevations and various soil types produce a range of wines that can stand alone or be blended together to create a harmonious wine.
• The hilly, rugged area is at elevations between 490-1640 ft/150 – 500 m and the slopes have different exposures – south and north facing slopes are used in this area for different styles of wine
• The soils of Montalcino vary and each impart something different – limestone for elegance, calcareous rock for minerality, galestro soils in the north for aromatic, nuanced wines, clay in the south for heavier, denser Brunello.
• The general rule of thumb is
  • Northern slopes: fruit ripen more slowly, the wines are more acidic
  • Southern and western slopes: have intense sunlight that can be tempered by cool breezes, to make complex, yet often very fruity wines
• Top Brunello producers own vineyards on all of the finest terroirs and blend

Photo: Montalcino town & Vineyards, from Conzorzio di Brunello di Montalcino

• We discuss the eight sub-zones that have been proposed (but that will be a long time in coming, since it is a political hot potato): Montalcino North, Montalcino South, Castelnuovo dell'Abate, Camigliano, Tavernelle, Bosco, Torrenieri, Sant'Angelo (To see a Subzone Map Click Here)
  
  
  • Montalcino (north and south): Known for ageable wines with complexity. These areas have the most famed producers (Biondi-Santi, Barbi, Costanti)
    
    
  • Castelnuovo dell’Abate: Powerful wines with a balance of elegance and fruit
    
    
  • Bosco: In the northwest is cooler with less tannic, more acidic wines
    
    
  • Torrenieri: Clay soils make dense, tannic wines but producers are working on clones and rootstock to tame that
    
    
  • Tavernelle: In the southwest is quite warm but has very even ripening and that means the wines are extremely consistent
    
    
  • Camigliano: In the south this is the land of fruit bombs – it is hot, dry and wines can have a raisined note if not picked in time
    
    
  • Sant’Angelo: The hottest driest part of Montalcino’s zones. These are very tannic, very fruity and have much lower acidity. They can have high alcohol and may be accessible sooner because of all the fruit. That said, some producer’s versions have high tannins and can age for decades.

The upshot? Having vineyards in different subzones helps ensure consistent quality

In the vineyard

• Brunello, is the local clone of Sangiovese. It is also known as Sangiovese Grosso
• This clone is extremely site-sensitive, terroir makes a big difference. The DOCG laws require that the grape be planted on hillsides below 600 meters (right now it is believed they cannot achieve ripeness above that height)
• To get the good wines you need excellent sites with enough sun but cooler nighttime temperatures to maintains acidity. Brunello requires low yields, meticulous vineyard work, and discerning sorting so only the best grapes make it to the cellar.

 Photo: Brunello, from Conzorzio di Brunello di Montalcino

Winemaking

• Traditional producers do long aging in large vats, from Slavonian oak to get complex, dry, tannic wines with little oak influence
• Modernists, who introduced their take on the wine in the 1980s, prefer fruitier styles with less time in barrel and more use of smaller 225-liter French oak barriques to emphasize vanilla notes, tobacco, and toastiness
• Laws require producers to use 100% Brunello with a minimum age of 2 years in an oak vessel (botte or barrique) and a minimum of 4 months in bottle before release (6 months for the Riserva). Brunello normale cannot be released until the January 5 years after harvest (that allows for 4 full years of aging) and Brunello Riserva cannot be release until the January 6 years after harvest (to allow for 5 full years of aging)

 Photo: Botti in a cellar, from Conzorzio di Brunello di Montalcino

What is the wine like? What can you expect?

• After all the build-up, we put some descriptors to this glorious wine. The wine is often described as having flavors and aromas of red and black fruit with underlying spice and earthiness. Depending on the style, it can be more like tea, coffee, earth, and mushrooms, balsamic, violets, and graphite, or more modern versions may show more leather, chocolate, and vanilla. The scents together are like nothing else.
• The key to good Brunello is the blend of fruit, acidity, good tannins (but not over the top). The idea behind Brunello is utterly perfect balance – the acidity and freshness surprise you just as the flavors thrill you. Most Brunellos can be aged for a long time, improving with time – 10 -30 years is not uncommon for these wines.
• Full bodied with alcohol levels around 14% or 15 percent ABV
• Buy wine based off producer to get the best stuff, also watch the vintage. Recent top vintages include: 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016

Food pairings ideas: Grilled and roasted red meats, game, truffles (not truffle oil!), mushroom risotto/pastas, Tuscan pecorino, aged Parmesan

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Main Sources:

• Consorzio Brunello di Montalcino
• https://cluboenologique.com/story/behind-the-bottle-biondi-santi-brunello-di-montalcino-wine/
• https://www.winemag.com/gallery/making-sense-of-montalcino/
• The World Atlas of Wine, 8th Edition
• https://italianwinecentral.com/denomination/brunello-di-montalcino-docg/
• https://wilsondaniels.com/winery/biondi-santi/ 

Lumen is farming this vineyard gone wild and it's making the best Pinot Noir there is...

Photo: The Wild King Vineyard, Courtesy of Lumen

Be forewarned! This is a pretty dorky and technical show. Some of you say you would like to hear what wine people talk about when we’re together: here it is!

Will Henry, co-proprietor at Lumen Wines in the cool climate AVAs of Santa Barbara, returns to the show (he was on Ep 259) to tell us a story about a vineyard he happened upon that is changing his ideas about how viticulture should be approached in California.  

Photo: Will Henry and Lane Tanner (not married, BTW, just business partners!)
Courtesy of Lumen

Will had recently purchased the Warner Henry Vineyard (named after his late father who founded the Henry Wine Group, introducing people all over the US to small, family-owned) up in the Solomon Hills of the Santa Maria Valley AVA. He was focused on that and one of his vineyard contractors mentioned an unpruned, unirrigated, and unattended vineyard that he kept passing as he drove up to Will’s property. A few months later, Will got curious. He decided to get out of his car and walk the vineyard in August. What he found defied all conventions in California viticulture: in spite of it growing wild, it was some of the best Pinot Noir he had ever seen or tasted.

It led Will down a path that many in Santa Maria Valley are following, and many more should follow, as he tries to answer the questions:

• Have we been doing viticulture all wrong?
• Does nature produce better grapes with less intervention in the vineyard?
• Will the “Wild King” Pinot from this vineyard, with its bright acidity, vibrant flavors and low alcohol be the best wine Lane Tanner, Will’s partner (and acclaimed winemaker) has ever made?

This was not the first time Will had seen this phenomenon – could he be on to the next big trend in wine (which is really the oldest way to farm!).

As promised here are the links to the people we discuss on the show:

• Lumen Wines – Will and Lane’s wine
• Here’s the podcast I did with Lane Tanner
• Storm Wines -- Ernst Storm
• Story of Soil -- Jessica Gasca
• Chanin -- Gavin Chanin
• Seasmoke – Julian Malone
• Chalky Ridge Vineyard Management– Jason Muscio
• Randall Grahm
• Linden Vineyards – Jim Law (Virginia)
• Ep 432: Agroforestry -- An Answer to Wine's Biggest Environmental Challenges with Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier of Château Anthonic in Moulis-en-Médoc

Thanks for listening! Please go see Will at Pico or The Wine Shepherd!

**All Photos used courtesy of Lumen Wines

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Jason Haas is a Partner and the General Manager of Tablas Creek Vineyard. His late father, Robert Haas was a renowned importer who partnered with Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape to scout a perfect site to grow Rhône varieties in California. They found it in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles and built one of the best wineries in California.

Jason Haas of Tablas Creek. Photo from Tablas Creek

Jason doesn’t just oversee the business, winemaking, and sales and marketing operations, he also is actively involved in the Rhone Rangers (they promote Rhone varieties in California), the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, Family Winemakers of California, and he is a talented and prolific writer. His clear and educational writing has been published in many wine publications as well as the award-winning Tablas Creek blog. 

Jason is a big advocate for Paso Robles but also a passionate champion of more sustainable, earth-friendly solutions in the wine industry. He is a pioneer of the regenerative organic viticulture program in California, which we will discuss, and he is the first premium winery in California to put his wine in the sustainable 3 liter bag in box. This is Jason’s third appearance on the show and this time he updates us on all the work that he and Tablas Creek have done to push forward in making their vineyard and winery ever more gentle on the environment. They are leaders in California and in global thinking in wine and they are forging a path for the others to reduce their impact on the earth in wine. I’m excited to have Jason on the show again and I think you will love this show.

The wines of Tablas Creek. Photo: Tablas Creek Website

Here are the topics we cover:

1. We discuss how Tablas Creek moved from organic, to biodynamic and now to regenerative farming. Jason explains the difference between regenerative farming, biodynamics, and organics so we have it all clear.

2. Jason talks about some of the limitations of organics and biodynamics. He is nice enough to indulge me in a conversation about the famed biodynamic “cow horn” and why the idea behind it and many other biodynamic concepts are great but overshadowed by the more “cosmic” stuff in the philosophy.

3. We discuss dry farming and the conditions for it to work. We talk about how important it will be in the future.  

The sheep of Tablas Creek. Photo from Tablas Creek

4. Jason talks about wine’s biggest impact on the environment: Packaging waste and transport. He tells us about his decision to put Patelin de Tablas rosé into box and the positive reception it received. We discuss the many ways packaging and transport can and may evolve to make wine’s impact on the earth minimal. We talk about the possibility of everything from bottle washing (We briefly discuss Caren McNamara from Conscious Container) to wine in bladder transport.

5. Jason shares some other ideas about how we can move to a more sustainable future for wine and some of the important logistical challenges we must face to be successful in the fight against climate change.

Patelin de Tablas Rosé in box Photo from Tablas Creek

Podcasts referenced

Ep 414: The Refillable Wine Bottle Revolution to Combat Climate Change with Caren McNamara of Conscious Container

Ep 432: Agroforestry -- An Answer to Wine's Biggest Environmental Challenges with Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier of Château Anthonic in Moulis-en-Médoc

Previous shows with Jason

Ep 281: 30 Years of Tablas Creek with Jason Haas

Ep 162: Jason Haas of Tablas Creek in Paso Robles, CA

Documentary on Fungus:   Fantastic Funghi

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Another energetic, entertaining show with Serge!

Serge Doré with his daughter Gabriele. Photo: JoAnn Actis-Grande Portsmouth Herald

Serge Doré, importer of French wine (and American via Quebec…he’s a man of many identities and a worldliness we can only aspire to!) and popular podcast favorite, joins us to talk about Beaujolais, one of his favorite regions.

Like all the French regions with which he works, Serge has seen the ups and downs of Beaujolais and has stuck around through a lot in working with the producers here. In the show, Serge takes us through the evolution of the region. He details the rise and fall of the Beaujolais Nouveau craze, the aftermath, and the outstanding recent history of the region. He shares stories of producers he imports and gives us inside dirt.

Here are the topics we cover:

• Serge began working in Beaujolais in 1979. He tells us about the region then and what it was like to meet the famed Georges Duboeuf and learn about Beaujolais from him.  We discuss the phenomenon of Beaujolai Nouveau and how it was the rise and fall of the region (and how the crus are responsible for the rebirth of Beaujolais).

• We discuss the three main areas of Beaujolais: the basic Beaujolais AOP in the south, the Beaujolais-Villages AOP, mainly in the north, and the 10 Beaujolais Crus, all in the north. We discuss why soil and location matters so much in this area of the world and give ideas on the character of some of the crus:
  • Regnie, Saint-Amour, Chiroubles, Brouilly, Cote de Brouilly, Fleurie, Chenas, and Julienas, Morgan and Moulin-a-Vent

Older map from Beaujolais.com

• Serge describes the scenery, culture, and people of Beaujolais in a way only he can! It sounds like we all need to get there ASAP!

• Serge opines on how Burgundy and Beaujolais are different and the relationship between them.

• We discuss Serge’s producers in Beaujolais and how they are part of the exclusive Terroirs Originels group (list of producers is here). His portfolio includes: Jean-Michel Dupré, Lucien Lardy, Laurent Gauthier, Pascal Aufranc, and Patrick Tranchand (you can get them in New Hampshire and Massachusetts or order them online)

This is a DELICIOUS wine!!! 

• We discuss the dynamic producers of Beaujolais, how they are coping with climate change, and Serge’s advice for enjoying beautiful Beaujolais!

Go to Serge Doré Selections to learn more and find out where you can get these beautiful wines!

____________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

País, known as Criolla Chica in Argentina, and Mission in the US,  was brought by the Spanish conquistadores and was South America’s most planted grape for centuries until an economic boom in Chile and waves of migration in Argentina brought new and interesting grapes to these nations. Argentina has plantings of the grape, California now barely any, so Chile is the epicenter of the grape, where it is thought of as the locals’ grape – something low quality and common that has been around forever but has never made more than cheap, bulk wine or wine for local consumption. 

País (a.k.a., Criolla Chica or Mission), "Mission Grapes" by Hey Fritters is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

But in 2007, the 200+ year old vines caught the attention of Europeans who were making wine in Chile and they began experimenting. The grape was made into sparkling wine and then into funky natural wines, which gained a following in France and in the capital city of Chile, Santiago. Today, there is revived interest in this grape, and it is making everything from Beaujolais Nouveau-like styles to some more complex, spicy, herbal yet fruit wines with great tannins and acidity. In this episode we explore the origins of this grape and what makes it so fascinating. 

Here are the show notes:

• We discuss the overview of the grape – it’s called Criolla Chica in Argentina, Mission in California, and it is grown in Peru where it is distilled into Pisco and makes some natural wine, as well as Bolivia where it is called Missionera. We will refer to the grape only as País because Chile is the epicenter of growing!

• We discuss the styles of wine that País makes: rosé, sparkling, lighter and easy drinking wine, and a fortified wine called Angelica, that can last for decades

The Grape Origins:

• País was probably the first vitis vinifera grape to come from the Old World, we tell the alleged story of Hernán Cortes hating the native grapes and demanding that better grapes be brought. He mandated that sacramental wine be made using grapes grown from cuttings from the Old World, so the high yielding Listán Preto was brought from Castilla-La Mancha and the Canary Islands where it had been growing to make wine to restock ships for the journey across the sea.

In the vineyard

• País is a big cropper with big, irregular berries. It has a lot of water in the grapes which can result in a low concentration of flavor
• The grape is easy to cultivate, is drought resistant, and has very deep roots, especially when grown on well-drained, granite rich slopes. It likes hot, dry climates. For these reasons it deserves our attention – it could have a bright future with climate change, although it needs careful management to be good. There are many 200+ year old vines in Chile, trained in bushes. Many of them have potential to be great. 

Winemaking: 

• Winemakers must grapple with the fact that the wine lacks concentration of fruit flavor, and that it has a rustic, rough mouthfeel due to the types of tannins in the grape. It can also have low acidity or, if picked too early, too much acidity. 
• Techniques to manage the grape include carbonic maceration to increase fruitiness, saignee to increase intensity, and gentle pressing and traditional winemaking to keep the balance in the wines. 
• Terms we discuss:
• • Zaranda – a bamboo mat that sits over the fermentation vat. Winemakers apply gentle pressure for less tannic, more acidic wines. Grapes are then crushed by foot and left to ferment in the traditional winemaking method
  • Pipas — large pipe-shaped vats made from native beechwood. Used for short-term aging

País Wine/Flavors

• País is very light in color, and light in body. Depending on how the tannins are managed, the wine can be balanced or have really rough tannins
• The aromas and flavors range. The wines can be spicy and complex, with earthy, herbal, black pepper, and red fruit notes. It can also be simple with red fruit notes like pomegranate, and floral notes. It’s often compared to Beaujolais

Food Pairings: 

• Mediterranean origin food. Think about Spanish tapas or Greek meze. Lentils, black beans burgers, beans, tacos, Spanish rice

Regions

Chile

• Today, about ~7,250 ha/17,915 acres of País grow all over Chile -- from the Atacama Desert in the north to the southern regions of Maule, Bio Bio, and Itata, where the majority of plantings lie
• Was a much larger part of Chile’s plantings until the mid 1800s when the mining boom made some Chileans very wealthy, and they used that money to set up vineyards and winemaking operations to make French varietal wine – Cabernet usurped País. 
• The grape was relegated to poor regions,  especially Maule, Bío Bío, and Itata where it was kept alive by the traditional local wine, Pipeño – fizzy, light, often sweet red made of País. The grape was so cheap and undervalued that growers and winemakers have no incentive to work with it 
• In 2006-2007, producers like Miguel Torres of Spain and young winemaker, Louis-Antoine Luyt who was trained in Beaujolais and is a natural wine advocate began making impressive sparkling and red of País. As the wine improved in quality, others became interested in making País and blends using the grape – Bouchon, Roberto Henriquez, and Concha y Toro are some examples

One of Luyt's wine labels

Argentina 

• According to Amanda Barnes, author of the “Wines of South America”,  “Criolla” means a person or thing of Spanish-descent, born or developed in the Americas. Music, food, people, and grapes can be Criolla. Criolla grapes are a family of grape varieties that include the first vines, and part of that is Criolla Chica. 
• Producers that are experimenting:
• Cara Sur in Barreal, San Juan 
• Rocamadre in Paraje Altamira (Mendoza) from old vines
• Vallisto in Salta

California

• Called Mission grape  -- Established in 1769 with the Franciscan missions, Junipero Serra
• Died with Prohibition, today about 400 acres left, some producers in Amador, Calaveras, Santa Barbara, and Lodi still grow the grapes and some make early drinking, natural wine of it
• A traditional wine and the one that was esteemed at the time was Angelica, a sticky sweet wine that apparently tastes like molasses, dried figs, caramel, and nuts.

The Mission Grape, growing in Lodi, CA. Photo: Lodi Growers Assoc

It’s an interesting time for País. I think this is the beginning of a journey with this grape and we’ll keep you posted on new developments! 

Maule, Itata and Bío Bío are in southern Chile. Map (C) WFNP

Sources to learn more:

• SouthAmericaWineGuide.com, Criolla Grape Varieties, Amanda Barnes
• País - Decanter China – great article by MW Julien Boulard
• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pais
• Quench: The epic tale of País, the people’s grape
• Wines of Chile: País 

____________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Tom Wark is a wine writer, wine public relations company owner (Wark Communications), and our trusted resource for figuring out what is going on with the US wine industry and how it affects us, as wine drinkers. In his role as the executive director of the National Association of Wine Retailers, he manages and helps direct lobbying, litigation, and membership strategy and management for the retailers in the US and in that role has really helped dissect and expose some of the logistical and really cultural issues around wine in the US. He is the author of “Fermentation: The Daily Wine Blog”.

Photo: Tom Wark.
Source: "Fermentation Blog"

In this show we discuss a variety of topics, including the recent threat to US interstate wine shipping from the Uniform Law Commission. The bulk of our conversation revolves around the historical legacy of alcohol Prohibition in the US and the damage it caused to the way alcohol is sold, marketing and viewed in the United States.

Our main topics for the show:

• The latest news from the Uniform Law Commission, a body of lawyers from all 50 states who try to create laws that states can adopt and adapt based on common principles. We discuss the misguided nature of their proposals, and how it could potentially affect wine shipping in the United States
  
  
  
• The history of Prohibition in the United States – how it came about based on the events and culture of the 1910s and how, during the repeal, systems were set up that are now outdated but have enormous ripple effects in how wine is sold, distributed, and ultimately viewed in the US

The Crusaders were a group that fought to repeal Prohibition in the 1930s.
Photo: Smithsonian Institute

• We touch on the active temperance movement of today and why the temperance lobby has a big problem fighting against wine, in particular. We mention marijuana as well, and the coming reckoning for that new industry. Here is the Washington Post article we reference: “From Dry January to Fake Cocktails, Inside the New Temperance Movement”

• Tom tells us what the US market would look like without a three-tier distribution system (Hint: pretty awesome) and the multitude of choices it would open up for producers and retailers.

I highly recommend that you subscribe to Tom’s very well-written blog, which is full of excellent and novel thinking. Click here to sign up.

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

 Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Wine is a product of nature, human intervention, chemistry, and it’s subject to many outside influences – storage, transport, handling – that can do a number on what’s inside the bottle. In this episode, we cover the main things that could go wrong with wine, how they got there, and what to do about it (where possible)!

Photo: Pixabay

Shout out to Jamie Goode, the outstanding scientist and wine writer who makes so many complex science concepts so easy to understand. Here is the link to his book, “The Science of Wine from Vine to Glass,”* from which some of the reference materials for the pod were taken. Also to “Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia,” * who (always with the humor of Tom Stevenson) brings up a number of very real faults that a lot of the mainstream wine press forget to mention (sauerkraut, anyone?). Other sources are below!

Here are the show notes:

We start with defining what a flaw is in a wine, versus a taint, as defined by Jamie Goode. Then we talk about just plain old sucky wine.

Flaw v Taint:

• Flaw is endemic to the wine, it happened in winemaking or vineyard
• Taint is from outside winemaking, like from packaging or from the winery
• We discuss the Japanese concept that talks about how small flaws can accentuate beauty (it is called Wabi-Sabi, the art of imperfection). Not all technical flaws are bad!

NOT FLAWS: Next we tackle things that need to be dealt with, but aren’t flaws or taints:

1. Sediment:
   • What is it? Tannin chains combining and falling out of solution. Looks like your coffee filter threw up or there are brown flakes in the wine.
   • What do you do? Decant, get a filter

Sediment on a glass from Canva Images

1. Cork floating in your wine:
   • What is it? User error or an old cork. If you break the cork when you take it out, it may drop some flakes into the wine. If it’s an old cork, this is even more likely!
   • What do you do? Fish it out with you finger, a spoon, or get a filter

3. Film/oily looking stuff on the surface:
   • What is it? Most likely it’s dishwashing soap residue from either glasses or decanter
   • What do you do? Clean your glasses of the residue, send the glass back if you’re in a restaurant. At home, warm water is often good enough to clean wine glasses as long as you have a good brush

4. Bubblegum, pear drop, nail-polish like aromas:
   • What is it? These aromas come from carbonic maceration, a red winemaking technique where the winemaker ferments the grapes with no oxygen or yeast. Instead they use carbon dioxide to promote the conversion of sugar and malic acid to alcohol. Byproducts of this process are these aromas, and more to boot. Overly cool fermentations can also cause these types of aromas.
   • What do you do? If you hate this, chuck the bottle or give it away and remember you don’t like wines made with carbonic maceration. Never buy Beaujolais Nouveau!

5. Tartrate crystals:
   • What is it? Crystals appear either on the side of the cork that was in contact with the wine or, often, at the bottom of the glass in white wines. Tartaric acid was not fined, filtered or stabilized out so tartaric acid crystals formed and the wine cleaned itself up naturally!
   • What do you do? Dare I say it again? Get a filter and get them out if they are in your wine. If they are on the cork, admire how pretty they are and enjoy the wine.

6. Earthiness, green pepper notes:
   • What is it? Just normal wine flavors. The earthiness could be from terroir or it could be the grape. Green pepper is from a compound called methoxypyrazine that is common in Cabernet Sauvignon and its parents, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc
   • What do you do? If you love it, drink wines with those profiles. If not, there are plenty of wines without these characteristics

Before getting into the major faults, I discuss one that is on the line:

• Cloudy/Hazy wine: If it’s not sediment causing the problem, it could be protein. It may settle out or it may just be part of the wine. Natural wines and unfiltered wines have haze often. Just proceed with caution if you see it. It could be fine or indicate a flaw to come.

Then we hit the hard-core flaws

1. Cork taint

• What is it? It comes across as musty, wet dog, wet wool, cardboard or, at lower levels, as a wine with acidity and bitterness but no fruit flavor. It is caused by a molecule called TCA, which lives in the pockets of corks but also barrels, cardboard, wood cases, and corks (so yes, screw cap wines can have taint!)

• What do you do? About 1-3 bottles in 100 have TCA taint, since cork is better chosen and sanitized now. People also use cork alternatives – plastic corks, screw caps, etc, but event those aren’t foolproof. If you get a corked wine, return it. There’s no fixing it (although occasionally if the wine is just musty, a good swirl and some time will bring it back)

Photo: Pexels 

2. Oxidation

• What is it? When too much oxygen enters the wine in production, bottling, or storage (the cork or screw cap wasn’t affixed properly), the wine can be exposed to too much oxygen. Oxygen is important to making a wine taste great when it’s in your glass but if it has too much oxygen before you are ready to drink it, it can make white wines a little brown/tawny, reds a little orange/brown. They will have Sherry-like notes, which shouldn’t be there and they will acquire nutty, smelly caramel notes in reds or, if it occurs with Volatile Acidity – vinegar notes. Oxidized wine can also be flat in flavor and aroma

• What do you do? If it tastes ok to you, drink it! It won’t get better so if you hate it and it’s oxidized, bring it back

3. Volatile acidity (VA)

• What is it? When acetic acid or lactic bacteria is present on the grapes or in the winemaking and has these substances have sufficient oxygen to grow, the wine will taste like vinegar, or nail polish remover. At low levels, VA can present savory and sweet notes that taste good, but at high levels the wine is undrinkable.
  
  
• What do you do? Bring it back for an exchange or refund

5. Reduction/sulfur issues

• What is it? If you make wine in a reductive fashion – with very little oxygen and utilize too much sulfur, things can go wrong. Yeast make volatile sulfur compounds and things go bad quickly. Hopefully the winemaker catches it before bottling. If not, your wine will smell like burnt rubber, skunk, onion, garlic, rotten eggs, and smelly drains. These are ethyl mercaptans and they are so gross.

• What do you do? If any of the above listed smells are in your wine, return it. There is one related thing, however, that may be ok: the smell of matchstick or flint. You may find those aromas in wines that have been made in a reductive fashion. If you swirl or aerate the wine, it will blow off. If your wine has a struck match aroma, rather than a burnt one, give it a few minutes before you issue a verdict and return it.

Reductive wines can smell like skunk!  Photo: Pixabay

5. Maderized wine

• What is it? The wine has been cooked from poor storage or transport. Often these wines are also oxidized (bonus!). They taste like stewed fruit, burnt caramel, and jam. If you look at cork you may see wine leaking out, and when you remove the cork, there is often wine up and down the sides

• What do you do? The wine is toast. You can’t save it, so return it.

6. Bubbles in a still wine:

• What is it? Carbon dioxide has infiltrated the wine. It could be added for texture and style fizz like in Vinho Verde, some Austrian and German wines. OR, and this is the flaw, the wine was bottles with too much residual sugar after fermentation, and yeast were still alive. That fizz is an unplanned secondary fermentation happening in the bottle: re-fermentation has started

• What do you do? If it’s intentional, it’s great. You can swirl to get the bubbles out and that sometimes works if you don’t like seeing bubbles (or you can just make peace with them)! If it’s frothy from secondary fermentation – it’s spoiled, bring it back to the shop.

7. Lightstrike

• What is it? Ultraviolet (UV) and blue rays from artificial lights and the sun break up amino acids in wine and cause it to stink like cabbage, cauliflower, farmyard/poo skunk, and cardboard. This fault happens most often with whites and wine in clear bottles. According to San Francisco retailer J.J. Buckley, clear bottles block only 10% of light, amber bottles block 90% of light, and green bottles block 50% of light. That means whites and rosés in clear bottles are especially susceptible.

• What do you do? The bottle is ruined, return it

Cabbage smelling wine is often from Lightstrike
Photo: Pixabay

8. Brettanomyces:

• What is it? Metabolites produced by yeast called Brettanomyces bruxellensis – (shortened to brett in wine parlance), wait around until AFTER fermentation, then they consume the residual sugar saccharomyces cerevisiae (normal yeast) have left. The byproducts are flavor chemicals that can lead to manure, horse saddle, band aid, medicinal, and metallic notes. This happens mostly in red wines, as white wines have acidity to protect them.

• What do you do? How you view the wine is really based on taste. Flavors vary based on the strain of brett, and the level of it in the wine. At low levels it adds gaminess, earthiness, spice, and savory notes to the wine. It can be hard to pinpoint in a wine. If you like these types of flavors, you likely enjoy brett. If not, stick with more New World wines from larger wineries, as they really try to eliminate all traces of the metabolite!

9. Mousy

• What is it? In wines without sulfite protection, mainly natural wines these days, the wine has a few molecules that smell like a mouse or mouse pee. The wine can seem fine when you open it but then the aroma and flavor can appear as the wine is in the glass. Often it just stinks right from the get-go

• What do you do? Sensitivity varies. Some people hate it, some are ok with it. Some can really detect it, others don’t notice it. Again, it’s down to personal choice whether or not you return the wine for the flaw or accept and like it.

10. Smoke taint

Fires in California have caused smoke taint. Photo: Unsplash

• What is it? A direct result of nearby wildfires. According to Australian research, grapes are most susceptible to smoke, ash, ashtray, singed, and cured meat notes if fires are near the grapes from the period after veraison (when grapes change color, the last stage of ripening) through harvest. Flavor compounds permeate the skins, especially and the result is red wines that are nearly impossible to save. Whites from wildfire vintages are usually ok, as there is no skin contact necessary and the pulp is protected by the skins, but red wines can’t be fixed without affecting wine quality, for now.

• What do you do? For now, there is no solution to smoke taint. If you see a wine is from a vintage and an area that had wildfires, caveat emptor. Some wineries will release a wine even if it’s like choking on an ashtray. Better to stick with whites from the area, if you can.

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Other stuff not always on the taint list!

Soapiness: Happens when acids produced by yeast are like salts: Caprylic acid salt (decanoic acid), and leave a soapy taste especially in white wines. They smell like soap but are fruitier. This note is common in high-alcohol wines. (Source: the "Le Nez Du Vin" wine faults kit and Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia). Like everything, a small amount is tolerable, a larger amount is a fault (and of course, make sure that soapiness isn’t from actual soap, as previously mentioned)

Soapiness is a fault in a wine! 

Cheese: If it’s subtle or in an old Riesling, cheese notes are usually good and integrate with the wine’s flavors. If it’s more like stinky cheese, it’s from ethyl butryrate and the wine is done: Take it back

Geranium notes in sweet wines are from sorbic acid or the degradation of geraniol aromas. It is considered a flaw, as are the phenol off-flavors of Carnation notes. Whether or not you like the wine is a matter of taste, but in high concentrations, it is gross and a flaw.

Sauerkraut notes are a bridge too far beyond sour milk or sour cream and are from too much bacteria in the malolactic fermentation. Yuck! This is a definite return to the shop!

This is by no means a total and complete list, but we did the best we can and hopefully it will help you ID what is a flawed or tainted wine and what is just a wine that is poorly made and bad.

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

 Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

*^{The books have affiliate links on which I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.}

Patron Serl Z asked: What are wines other than Pinot Noir for those for whom that is the only red wine they will drink?

Photo: Pinot Noir grapes, Canva photos

Join the conversation: Become a Patron on Patreon

Pinot has so many different faces depending on where it’s grown – terroir is everything with the grape. But if we’re talking about medium-bodied, more acidic styles that are food-friendly, then this podcast answers that question!

Italy:

• Schiava or Teroldego from Alto Adige
  
  
• Bardolino or lighter styles of Valpolicella from Veneto
  
  
• Nebbiolo from Piedmont, alternately Grignolino, a light, acidic wine
  
  
• The reds of Mount Etna (Etna Rosso), Sicily
  
  
• Frappato, Sicily

France:

• Poulsard and Trousseau, the reds of the Jura region (specifically Arbois, which is often blended in with Pinot)
  
  
• Gamay from Beaujolais – Beaujolais-Village or lighter to medium styles from the Crus of Saint-Amour, Régnié, and Fleurie
  
  
• Reds from the Loire Valley. based on Cabernet Franc, especially St-Nicholas de Bourgeuil
  
  
• Côtes du Rhône red and white (yes, this white is big enough to be a red alternative). If you can find a wine with Cinsault in the blend (Rasteau and Cairanne Cru are good bets!), you’ll be in for a light style that will scratch your Pinot itch!
  
  

Photo: Jura vineyards in France, Canva photos

Austria:

• Laurent, some Zweigelt (again, watch alcohol levels)

Greece: Agiogitiko and some Xinomavro

The US and Canada:

• Finger Lakes or Virginia: Cabernet Franc in the US
  
  
• Eastern Canada: Cabernet Franc

The Iberian Peninsula:

• Spain: Mencía from Bierzo or Ribeira Sacra
  
  
• Portugal: Blends of the Dão

Photo: Vineyards in Ribeira Sacra, home of great Mencía. Canva photos.

Most New World countries make excellent Pinot Noir but don’t have a lot of alternative lighter wines, given the climate. Also, as they were starting their industry, winemakers imported grapes they felt would be successful, and Pinot was the winner of the light to medium-bodied category!

So, those are my picks, but you may have others! Feel free to share.

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

 Wine Spies!

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Elizabeth (Liz) Gabay, Master of Wine, is the world's foremost expert on rosé and a big part of her career has been studying, writing about, and understanding rosé. Ben Bernheim, her son, is now learning from her wisdom and and is a specialist in his own right. The two of them have just completed the excellent book “Rosés of Southern France” (which is now available on Amazon for purchase.

Liz is largely responsible for shifting the tide on rosé and helping people to understand that this wine is its own serious category that deserves thought, study, and consideration. In addition to the new book, Liz is the author of “Rosé: Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution,” and she is also a contributor on rosé in Decanter, The Drinks Business, The Buyer, SevenFiftyDaily, Meiningers, and many more prestigious publications.

Photo: https://www.elizabethgabay.com/about/  

The wisdom these Liz and Ben have on the subject of rosé is vast, and they are so fun, engaging, and real, that they make it all so interesting and accessible. This is an incredible education on rosé and will enjoy every minute of listening to these fantastic humans.

Photo: Ben Bernheim, taken by me when we were partners in a Beaumes de Venise mini-class in the Rhone Valley 4/22

Here are the things we discuss in the show:

• Liz talks about her background and how she got into wine. She discusses how, when she took the MW, it was a professional certification, and how it has changed dramatically over time. She discusses how she got into rosé, and how Ben got involved in it as well.

Then we get into the nuts and bolts of rosé

• Liz and Ben define rosé (harder than you think!). We discuss he book’s intro and what rosé is really about:

“We love rosé. We love its diversity, its complexity, and the infinite combinations of terroir, grape variety, vintage variation and winemaking that we find around the world. Many people think we’re crazy. They see rosé as a pale pink lightly alcoholic swimming pool tipple that somehow tastes better if you’re wearing a bikini. That isn’t what this book is about. “

Photo credit: Canva

• Liz and Ben tell us about rosé winegrowing:
  • Grapes that are commonly used(red AND white!)
  • The role of terroir in rosé
  • The picking decisions and harvest parameters that matter in making rosé
  • Climate change and how it is affecting grapes for rosé
    
    
    
• We talk next about rosé winemaking
  • We discuss the various ways to make rosé – direct press, limited maceration and saignée
  • We talk about some of the key factors in rosé winemaking:
    • Time on the skin
    • Yeast strains
    • Co-fermenting with whites
    • Fermentation vessel (oak v. stainless)
    • Temperature control in fermentation
    • Malolactic fermentation vs. no MLF
    • Aging/storage vessel and time – oak, cement, glass, amphora, etc

Photo credit: Canva 

• Liz and Ben tell us why rosé, can be ageworthy and why most isn’t. We also talk about lightstrike and why clear bottles are the worst thing for rosé.

• We cover the wines of the southern Rhône -- Tavel, Luberon, Ventoux, the rosés of Provence and Bandol and the wines of the Languedoc-Roussillon. We have an interesting conversation about Costieres di Nimes, which really drives home how certain regions can be outstanding but if they don’t send in samples to writers, or market their wines, they remain unknown.

• Liz and Ben help us understand how to buy better rosé.
  • They provide some shortcuts for finding better wines – like looking for sub regions in Cotes de Provence such as Ste. Victoire and La Londe.
  • We talk about how using Google maps to see where the winery is located can help you get better wines (e.g., If it’s in a cool mountain area, it may be crisp, if it’s nearer the ocean the wine may be fatter).
  • They discuss how essential it is to find out about the producer, since often producers want you to see the name “Provence” and buy the bottle…if you poke around a bit you may get a better idea about what you are getting so it’s not a surprise or disappointment

• Liz and Ben tell us about the trends in rosé – why it has become so popular, and what are great regions we should keep an eye on. Liz’s recommendations for countries/regions that have been making intresteing rosé (besides France!): Austria, Greece, Sicily (Etna especially), Spain (Clarete from Sigales, Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Navarra), Portugal (Douro, pink Port), Israel.

We end with a conversation on the future of rosé and what Ben and Liz hope for the category.

This is a fantastic conversation about a category of wine that is experiencing a big paradigm shift. Liz and Ben are some of the most normal, kindest, smartest people I’ve met in wine in a long, long while and the show is sprinkled with a ton of industry information – insider things that can help shed light on what goes on with producers, negociants, and writers.  I hope you enjoy and you are motivated to buy their wonderful book! Reach out to them at https://www.elizabethgabay.com/about/  

Photo credit: Canva

________________________

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If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

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To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Vinho Verde, the DOC (Denomination of Controlled Origin) Region, has made wine since Roman times. This region is one of the largest DOCs in Europe but within its boundaries there are vast differences between the nine sub regions. In this show,  Mafalda Teixeira Coelho, co-owner of Quinta da Raza and Pedro Campos, winemaker clear up a lot of the misconceptions about Vinho Verde. We learn about the terroir of this old and complex region, the various subregions, and how serious, and sometimes ageworthy wine is being produced here.

Photo: Mafalda Teixeira Coelho, co-owner of Quinta da Raza and Pedro Campos, winemaker (c)Wine For Normal People 

In September 2021, I visited the region and I just loved the wines of Quinta da Raza, I adored Mafalda and Pedro, and I thought they were perfect representatives to tell us about their corner of this big region, in Basto, and what they are capable of making in this unique terroir.

Here’s what we discuss in the show:

• The diversity of Vinho Verde, it’s 9 sub regions and how proximity to the sea, position in the mountains, and soil type make big differences in the grapes you can grow and the resulting wines.

Map: Vinho Verde Commission

• Pedro tells us about the Basto subregion, where Quinta da Raza is located. It is inland, on granite, schist, and clay soils. The location is a bit more continental with warmer summers and cooler winters than places near the coast, meaning grapes can get fully ripe and quite flavorful.

• To understand Vinho Verde, you must understand the nuance between the granite terroir v. the schist terroir. Pedro tells us what the differences are and why they matter.

• Mafalda shares the history of the estate and how it was passed down to her husband Diogo, who she manages things with today.

Mafalda Teixeira Coelho, co-owner of Quinta da Raza and her daughters,
(c)Wine For Normal People 

• Pedro tells us about the main grapes of the region: Azal, Alvarinho, Avesso, Arinto, Trajadura, and the reds Padeiro and Vinhão. He tells us about the various brands of Quinta da Raza
• • Dom Diogo is the traditional brand that is sold mainly in the Portuguese market
  • Quinta da Raza is a more international style, and where you’ll find those more serious whites like Alvarinho, Avesso, and Gouveio
  • Raza is the very traditional, fizzy Vinho Verde of Arinto, Trajadura, and Azal, with the Rosé made of Vinhão, Padeiro and Espadeiro
  • Nat their line of Pet Nat (Petillant Naturel), sparkling wine made in the ancestral method with a single fermentation happening in the bottle from which you drink it

• We discuss some of the important techniques they use to get high quality wine – traditional things like hand harvesting grapes and foot treading in stone lagares, and then more modern things like using stainless steel tanks and modern winemaking techniques.

Hand harvest at Quinta da Raza (c)Wine For Normal People 

• Pedro tells us Alvarinho and Avesso are good candidates for aging, with Gouveio as a possible third.

• We finish the conversation by talking about Quinta da Raza’s commitment to sustainability and the bright future for the Vinho Verde region and for the winery.

Quinta da Raza’s wines are fantastic. Seek out the basic Raza, but try to find the single varietals, they are inexpensive and drink way above their price point!

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Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier of Château Anthonic in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation on the Left Bank of Bordeaux is revolutionizing the entire Médoc with a novel approach to farming and adapting to climate change: Agroforestry. This show talks about the practice and the unbelievable results that can be achieved by farming in this way. It will inspire hope that there is a future for viticulture, even in areas where there is great climate change.

Photo: Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier Château Anthonic

Château Anthonic is in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation on the Left Bank of Bordeaux. It is owned and operated by Jean-Baptiste and Nathalie Cordonnier. They make very classically styled, delicious (and relatively low alcohol) red wine from mainly Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon and some Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Château Anthonic

Since 2016, Jean-Baptiste and his team have practiced agroforestry –trying to mimic the soils and conditions of the forest to enrich soil health and encourage the vines to return to a state where they are part of an eco-system, with fungi, trees, wildlife, and healthy micro-organisms. Using very specialized cover crops, they have managed to lower soil temperatures and keep sugar levels under control by practicing the tenets he discusses.

May people claim to do great things, but Jean-Baptise is the real deal. If there is anything that will inspire hope that human ingenuity and nature may help us out of bad times to come, this show is it.

Here are the topics we discussed:

• Jean-Baptiste tells us about his very different educational background, which led him to tackle environmental issues in the way he does today. Forestry, not viticulture, was the foundation of his education (and we should all be grateful for that!)

• We get a good background on Moulis-en-Médoc – the terroir, the diversity, and where Château Anthonic is located. We discuss the blue clay, which makes up 70% of his vineyard

Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Blue Clay Château Anthonic 

• Then we get into the details of just how we have gotten into the predicament in farming that we have today. Jean-Baptiste explains the phases that humans have gone through to deplete the earth through farming (inadvertently and through a series of bad decisions). He addresses how “the new guest in the dance”, climate change has sped up the need for a solution.

Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Château Anthonic 

• We get into the nuts and bolts of agroforestry and how hedges, trees, and grasses in the vineyard are the keys to bringing back fungi and mico-organisms that are vital to making the land healthier and, ultimately, to maintaining the style of Bordeaux that many of us love. He also addresses the economics of the vineyard, and how planting trees has actually given him 2% MORE yield in his vineyard, despite the trees taking out two rows per hectare.

• Jean-Baptiste shares the results of his years of agroforestry practices: lower alcohol and more acidity in his grapes, less water stress, and more balanced wines. He is too modest to really brag, but he has trained first and second growth chateaux on the practices of agroforestry, as well as many other prestigious chateaux in the Médoc and beyond. Many are implementing his methods in their vineyards.

• Jean-Baptiste leaves us with a message of hope – viticulture is not doomed, Bordeaux is a phoenix, and the rapidity with which change has come means the future is bright for this warming and changing climate, regardless of what nonsense naysayers may spout.

Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Château Anthonic 

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Sémillon used to be the most planted white grape in the world. From its native home in France to Australia, Chile, South Africa, Argentina, and beyond, it was planted en masse to pump out large quantities of flavorless bulk white wine. The problem was that Sémillon doesn’t cooperate when it’s forced to high yields. It loses acidity and it lacks flavor unlike some other grapes that can still muster some umph when over-cropped (Chenin blanc, Sauvignon blanc, Colombard, to name three).  For this reason, plantings were replaced and the grape became unpopular.

Photo: Sémillon, Bordeaux.com 

Today it is grown in limited quantities but two distinct areas– Sauternes/Barsac and Pessac-Leognan in Bordeaux and the Hunter Valley of Australia --  create wines that are incredibly specific and unique. Demand and fascination with these iconic wines means that cultivation of this grape is not doomed!

Here are the show notes:

The origins of the grape

• Although we don’t know the parentage, we do know the grape is from southwestern France. It is likely from Bordeaux
• Until the 1700s, producers were only using the grape in Sauternes (at this point it was already a sweet wine, as records from 1717-1736 at the local abbey show)
• Later, it was found in St-Emilion, from which it derives its name. The name most likely comes from Selejun – the local pronunciation of Saint-Emilion

Sémillon in the vineyard

• A thick-skinned grape, part of the reason it was so widely planted was that this feature makes Sémillon pretty resistant to molds and mildews (although, thankfully not botrytis). This feature of the grape helps make it easy to grow and it can be quite vigorous, which is why it was so used and abused in the past!
• The grape buds later and ripens earlier than its blending partner, Sauvignon blanc, and this short growing window means it is not as susceptible to spring or autumn frosts
• The grape is versatile on soil types – it can thrive on gravel, calcareous clay, sand, and other types making it incredibly adaptable
• Fully ripe Sémillon will have big yellow to nearly copper colored berries
• Low yields are best
  • Château d’Yquem, the most famous Sauternes producer in the world, allegedly makes one glass per vine. The rest of Sauternes yields about 24hl/ha, and lower quality regions yield 80 -100 hl/ha. Hunter Valley in Australia – 60 hl/ha
    
    

**M.C. Ice and I fully acknowledge that we have no idea what a hl/ha looks like but we use the numbers for comparison sake – ratios are still helpful, right? **

Photo: Australian Semillon, courtesy Wine Australia

• Climate can vary enormously and the grape can still perform:
  • In Sauternes, special climate conditions must exist (we discuss later)
  • Top dry white areas of Graves and Pessac-Leognan have warmer sites for Sémillon, which allows it to get fully ripe, adding lushness to the blend with Sauvignon blanc
  • In Hunter valley, humidity with tropical storms are best! Because the area has strong cloud cover there is less direct sun so it slows photosynthesis, despite heat. The humid afternoons somehow help build acidity. The light, sandy soils that contain some loam and iron have good drainage, during rain

We discuss the growing regions for most of the remaining part of the show

France: Bordeaux

• France grows more Sémillon than any other country and most of the plantings are in Bordeaux, specifically – Graves, Pessac-Leognan, and Sauternes
• 50 or so years ago, half the production in Bordeaux was white, mostly from Semillon, which traditionally made up 4/5 of any white wine in the area, sweet or white, but now has taken a backseat to Sauvignon Blanc, which offers more acidity to the wine in a warming climate

 Photo: Bordeaux vineyard, Getty Images via Canva subscription

  Sauternes, Barsac

• In Sauternes, Barsac (please see episode 369 for more info) and the sweet appellations of Cadillac, Ste Croix du Mont, Loupiac, and Cerons Sémillon is always partnered with Sauvignon blanc, which also receives botrytis well but maintains its acidity. Wines are hand harvested, with several passes through the vineyard to get the right level of botrytis, which can be patchy and can be grey rot if it developed poorly on the grapes
• Botrytis is a fungus that affects the grapes right when the fruit forms. It concentrates sugar and creates honeyed, apricot, mango flavors with a viscous mouthfeel from the glycerol it produces. Alcohol levels range in the region -- the minimum in Sauternes is 13% but it can well over 20% ABV
• For botrytis to form, a region needs foggy nights and early morning, followed by warm and sunny days. This is essential in the autumn, and is a very consistent weather pattern in the sweet wine regions of Bordeaux, which botrytized wine can be made nearly every year
• These wines are aged for long periods in oak barrels
• Some, like Chateau Climens in Barsac, are 100% Sémillon

Dry white appellations

• In Graves and the lighter, sandier regions of Pessac-Leognan, Sémillon is often the biggest percentage of the blend. The best versions – Haut-Brion Blanc and La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc (different Châteaux, owned by the same group = confusing, I know) – are hundreds of dollars a bottle and often have Sémillon as the main component, but it’s vintage dependent
  • In Pessac-Leognan, 25% of blend must be Sauvignon Blanc, and the trend is to favor that grape over Sémillon both because it’s easier to grow, and because it has acidity. From good producers, these wines can age for decades
  • The grape can be in Côtes de Bordeaux blancs and in basic Bordeaux blanc from better producers
  • Sémillon adds fullness to the texture and when it is aged in oak (as is the case with Sauternes, Barsac and in Graves and Pessac-Leognan), it can have peach, mango, nuts, and toast flavors, which contrast well with Sauvignon blanc’s more “green” aromas. If Sémillon is not aged in oak, it can have citrus, grass, notes without much flavor. When it is fully ripe and aged in oak, it is fat in texture with lemon and tropical fruit and has lower acidity.

Other places in France Sémillon grows...

• Southwest France has the sweet wine of Monbazillac (like Sauternes) and dry white of Bergerac
• Provence and the Languedoc, but not of any quality

Australia

• Makes the most distinctive dry white in Australia and was first planted in the Hunter Valley where it gained popularity for its ease to grow, high yields, and resistance to disease
• It went from being the workhorse grape in the 1980s, to accounting for only 3.1% of the total Australian crush today
• More than half of Australia’s Semillon comes from the bulk New South Wales region of Riverina
  
  

Hunter Valley in New South Wales

• The warm, humid climate of the Hunter Valley isn’t conducive to most grapes but Semillon (no accent on the “e” in Australia!) changes from a grassy, lemony acidic wine into a dark yellow, nutty, honey and straw-scented viscous wine if grown and made under certain conditions
• To achieve this, growers pick early, before the summer rains and the grapes have very high acidity. Alcohol levels are around 10-11% ABV, and most of the wine spends no time in oak for fermentation nor for aging – it is put in stainless, fermented cold, and bottled. Wines in their youth are like Sauvignon blanc – citrus, green herbs, and straw flavors persist, with high acidity. After 5-10 years of storage the wine darkens and tastes like honey, toasted, grilled nuts and seems like it has been in an oak barrel (hasn’t) – a total odd ball. Although the grapes can have some botrytis, this phenomenon is just a result of the rainy, tropical growing conditions
• To learn more about Hunter Valley and the Semillon, listen to ep 309, with the amazing Connie Paur Griffiths of Tranquil Vale, an excellent small producer located there
• Tyrells is the famous producer here (especially Vat 1 Semillon). Also Brokenwood, Silkman, Andrew Thomas

 Photo: Hunter Valley Vineyard, credit Wine Australia

Western Australia:

• Margaret River: Popular for blends of Semillon and Sauvignon blanc
• You will see Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon on the bottle, the first name indicates which grape dominates the blend
• These wines can be made in a juicy, fruit style with no oak, or oak fermented and/or oak matured to last longer
• Producers: Vasse Felix, Cullen, Cape Mentelle, Leeuwin

South Australia

• Adelaide Hills: Wines are like white Bordeaux in that they are picked early and blended with Sauvignon Blanc to avoid oiliness, too much ripeness. They sometimes use oak, sometimes not. Charlotte Dalton is the big producer here.
• Barossa: Sometimes makes varietal versions that show the purity of the grape, sometimes use big oak and can be toasty and Chardonnay-esque. Producers: Torbreck, Peter Lehmann, Henschke in Eden Valley
• Clare Valley: Can be more refined than Barossa but still peachy with apple and citrus and fuller body. Oak influence is common. Producers: Mount Harrocks, Pauletts
• Riverina: Is notorious for low quality bulk wine but a pocket of it develops botrytis easily and makes high quality sweet wines: McWilliams, De Bortoli

New Zealand has a small amount of Semillon in Marlborough, Hawkes Bay, and Gisbourne

South Africa

• Semillon was once so important it was called “greengrape” because of its bring green foliage
• By 1822, 93% of the vineyard land planted was Semillon. Then it was commonly just called “wine grape” but by the 1900s it began its sharp decline
• It is grown now in Stellenbosch, Swartland, and Franschhoek. Some areas have older bush vines.
• Producers like: Cederberg, Steenberg, Vergelegen , Mullineux are using more Semillon in blends with Sauvignon Blanc (some sweet, some dry versions)

United States

  California

• Barely uses Semillon but vines that were imported in the 1880s to the Livermore Valley in northern California, were allegedly from Château d’Yquem
• Vines that live in the Monte Rosso vineyard in Sonoma date from 1886 and can make excellent wines. Morgon is an example
• Sierra Foothills: Some here, notably my friend Lorenzo Muslia of Andis makes the Bill Dillian Semillon that has great acidity but silkiness and hay, herb, and melon notes (for the podcast with Lorenzo click here)

Photo: Andis Wines

  Washington State

• Big decline in plantings and they usually a blend with Sauvignon Blanc
• Popular from Walla Walla producers: L’Ecole 41 – lemon curd, nut and toast notes with a pretty full body, Amavi (episode with Amavi here) – slightly more acidic and less full with more citrus and grass notes but still with a rich body

Others countries that use Sémilllon

• Chile: Because of the Bordeaux link, has Semillon and usually uses it for blends or Sauternes-like sweet wines. Semillon used be 75% of white vines in Chile!
• Argentina, Uruguay have some nice examples
• Canada

Food Pairing Ideas

• Sauternes/dessert styles: blue (Roquefort) cheese, foie gras, scallops, fruit based-dessert
• Lighter styles: Oysters, shellfish, white fish or chicken dishes with citrus or herbal sauces or creamy sauces, salads, goat and sheep’s milk cheeses

_____________________________________________

Research Sources:

• “Wine Grapes” by Jancis Robinson, Dr. José Vouillamoz, Julia Harding
• “Grapes & Wines” by Margaret Rand and Oz Clarke
• https://www.bordeaux.com/us/
• https://www.wineaustralia.com/
• Fiona Beckett – Matching Food & Wine
• As always, talking to people about the grape who grow it, and drinking a lot of the wine itself – Sémillon is awesome!

__________________________________________________________

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If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

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After a recent trip to the Médoc (the left bank of Bordeaux), I came away with a whole new appreciation for the region. In this show, I share what I learned and my main takeaway is simple: when we are thinking about Médoc, never forget that there are real people behind the bottle you drink and they care what you think about the wine! It's a place of wonder, great modesty, kind people, and exceptional wine. 

Here is the list of SOME of the things I learned! 

1. Bordeaux is not “over”, “done”, “hopeless” or “doomed” for wine and we need to stop talking about that possibility (me, included). Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier from Château Anthonic in Moulis, and his ideas around agroforestry is proof of that (the podcast with him is forthcoming). As wine lovers, we need to stop buying into the clickbait and know that the Bordeaux many of us know and love will remain. There are people addressing how to adjust to the environment.

2. Real people live and work in the châteaux!

• For many of the smaller or medium chateaux, homes have been passed down over generations. Although these people have generational wealth, the chateau are their homes and they run the business from these houses.
• For Château owned by wealthy people or banks, the homes are more showpieces for the trade or public, but the people who head up the wineries are real people (and they are employees – like working there is their job – so they are regular, working people. Magali Guyon of Château La Cardonne and Anne Lanaour of Château Meyney – are outstanding, fun and very normal people who I thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with and could talk about kids, inflation, and culture with easily).

3. There are quite a few families that moved to Bordeaux after Algerian gained its independence from France. You can read more about that time here. The way they were treated when they came back was not great and some of their families had been in Algeria for more than 100 years, so they missed their homeland. That said, the success many had in Bordeaux was a result of hard work and determination that still shows. Château d’Arsac and Château Fonreaud/Lestage are both owned by people who came from French Algeria and both owners are highly engaged

At Château d'Arsac, Phillippe Raoux started over after being raised in Algeria

4. There are abandoned Châteaux in the Médoc – even in very nice places! People (generally from outside of France) either invested, thinking growing grapes was easy, or at one point had a family home but could no longer afford the upkeep so they have left the vineyards and the homes to nature.

5. What is a technical director? The conductor of the Orchestra (or winery! A technical director is in charge of the vineyards and the cellar. They must know everything that is going on both worlds. There is a cellar master and a vineyard manager, but the technical director is in charge of final product, and must coordinate all parts of making the wine.

Magali Guyon, Technical Director at Château La Cardonne

6. The Chateaux owners are frustrated by their image and they care what normal people think about their wines! They want us to connect with the wines and understand that there are people behind the wines. They are not always savvy with marketing, but they want you to feel welcome to come and visit! (it isn’t snooty, at least where I went but still make sure you wear nice clothes and make appointments ahead of time).

7. Bordeaux is right near the BEACH! You could easily plan a trip to do wine and beach. Although no one ever discusses it, it’s something to think about. It’s worth visiting! There’s also a forest for hiking.

8. The FOOD is amazing, especially the seafood. But the veggies are amazing too. Fresh foods, excellent preparation.

9. Every appellation makes a fantastic wine that is unique. Terroir matters a lot and it varies greatly. There were 10 million year old fossils in the vineyard at Chateau st. Come in Saint-Estèphe, which used to be covered by the sea.

10. Vintage variation is a real thing – the place has weather and I saw some of it in action.

Related podcasts:

Ep 354: A New Look At Bordeaux's Médoc -- with Château La Cardonne's Magali Guyon

Ep 389: Chateau Doyac and the Diversity of Terroir in the Haut-Medoc of Bordeaux

Ep 391: Édouard Miailhe - Dynamic leader of the Margaux AOC & 5th Generation Owner of Château Siran

Links: 

• Margaux visitor site
• Medoc visitor site

My visits:

Château Anthonic, AOC Moulis en Médoc
Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier

Château Siran, AOC Margaux.
With Edouard Miailhe, owner

Podcast:

Château d’Arsac, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Margaux,
Philippe Raoux, owner.

Château Chasse Spleen, AOC Moulis en Médoc.
Jean-Pierre Foubet and Céline Villars Foubet, owners.

Château Fonréaud, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Listrac-Médoc.
Jean and Marie-Hélène Chanfreau   

Château Meyney, AOC Saint-Estèphe
With Anne le Naour, Director

Château Livran, AOC Médoc
Edwige and Olivier Michon, owners.

Château La Cardonne, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, AOC Médoc.
With Magali Guyon, technical director

Château Phélan Ségur, AOC Saint-Estèphe
With Véronique Dausse, director

Château Mouton Rothschild, 1er Grand Cru Classé en 1855, Pauillac.

Château Lagrange, 3rd Grand Cru Classé en 1855.

Château de Côme, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, AOC Saint-Estèphe
Guy Velge owner, José Bueno Director, and Maud Essertel commercial director.

Château Doyac, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur Haut-Médoc
Astrid and Max de Pourtalès, owners and Clémence their daughter.

Château Gadet Terrefort, Cru Artisan, AOC Médoc
Anaïs Bernard, owner

Thanks to Carole Vidal and Vins du Médoc for sponsoring my trip and for putting up with me for 5 days! 

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Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written. 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

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Although much bigger, more well-known, and a bit fancier than the people I usually speak with, I wanted to make an exception and have the family who owns Marchesi di Barolo on the show so they could explain how the modern style of Barolo was created by the winery. It's much more buttoned up, and less of the normal conversation style I usually do, but it's an essential bit of history that will help fill-in some gaps about Barolo!

Marchesi di Barolo in Barolo, photo from Marchesi di Barolo's Facebook page

There are a lot of historic wineries and a lot of people in wine claim to have been the first to create a wine or a technique. But this week, the Cantina that invented Barolo as we know it today - Marchesi di Barolo joins. In the mid- to late- 1800s the Marchesi di Barolo focused on the production of dry, ageworthy, complex Nebbiolo was created from a wine that Thomas Jeffereson described as:

“As silky as Madeira, as astringent as Bordeaux and as brisk as Champagne”

Thankfully for those of us who love Barolo, the Marchesi had a different style in mind and created the wine as we know it today.

The current owners, the Abbona family, purchased Marchesi di Barolo and today the 6th generation is taking over the winery. Valentina Abbona joins the show to talk about the history of Barolo as a wine, and her family’s long history in owning this storied place and making bottles that remain top examples of the wine created here.

Here are the notes:

• Valentina tells us about what it was like in Barolo in the late 1700s and early 1800s from a wine and lifestyle perspective – the polyculture that existed, and the simple, country lifestyle people led.

• Marchese Carlo Tancredi Falletti and his wife, Juliette, who was of French origin, figured out how to make Barolo a dry wine, consistently. Previously, as it sat in barrels that didn’t have temperature control or were placed outdoors, the fermentation did not complete before the weather got cold. The yeast froze and sugar stayed in the wine. When the juice re-commenced fermentation, carbon dioxide stayed in the wine – thus why Thomas Jefferson compared it to Champagne.

The Marquesa di Barolo - Giulia di Barolo, photo from the Wine Museum of Barolo

• We learn about how the Marchesa Giulia (who changed her name from Juliette to the Italian version of the name), specifically, found interest in the Nebbiolo vine and how she realized her vision for what Nebbiolo could be/the wines it could make of dry wines (using her knowledge of French wines and connections to people who could help).

• We discuss how the Marchesa used her contacts to the royal courts of Europe (Piedmont was under the Kingdom of Savoy of France at the time) to popularize the wine, even sending hundreds of barrels to the king in Torino to ensure he could drink the wine daily.

• We then turn to Valentina’s family, the Abbonas, who have been making esteemed wine in Barolo since the late-1800s as well. When the opportunity to buy the Marchesi di Barolo occurred in 1929, Pietro Abbona, his brother, and his sisters bought the winery and began making small improvements.

Davide, Valentina, Ernesto, Anna Abbona, photo from Marchesi di Barolo's Facebook page

• We discuss the Abbona’s tradition of making single vineyard wines since 1973 and a bit about their three properties -- Cannubi, Coste di Rose, and Sarmassa.

• Valentina and I have a small debate about the MGA system, which smaller producers find challenging but that some bigger producers of the area, like Marchesi di Barolo, seem to like and find useful.

• Valentina talks about some of the other properties the Marchesi di Barolo owns in its 430 acre (186 ha) all over the Langhe and how they manage the land.

• After a brief conversation about how long Barolo can age (hint: forever!) we discuss climate change and the future of Barolo and Nebbiolo in light of the challenges the future may bring.

The MGA Barolos of the Marchesi di Barolo

If you are looking for an historic visit in Barolo, you can book a tour and tasting https://marchesibarolo.com !

____________________________________________________

 Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written. 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Catherine & Laurent Delaunay, photo from Badet Clément

Laurent Delaunay of Maison Edouard Delaunay in Bourgogne (Burgundy) as well as Badet Clément and under that many estates and DVP or Domaines et Vins de Propriété joins the show to discuss his amazing story of loss and triumph in Bourgogne (Burgundy).

Laurent’s family wine ties stretch back to 1771 in the Loire, but the Delaunay name was made as one of the historic great houses of Bourgogne. The domaine began in 1893 and by the 1920s, the wines of the Delaunay’s could be found in top restaurants in around France and beyond -- The Ritz in London, Raffles in Singapore – and in the prestigious travel companies of the time -- the French Line, the Orient Express, Wagons-Lits, Cunard, Air France. The Delaunays also distributed the wines for producers like Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and the Liger-Belair family (La Romanée), and helped create the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin in 1934.

But with many twists and turns, in 1989 the family lost control of the Domaine and Laurent Delaunay, fresh out of enology school, was forced to forge his own path with his enologist wife, Catherine. What the two managed to accomplish is mind-boggling and as you will hear, Laurent managed a feat in Burgundy few could.

This show is about Laurent but also some key facts about Burgundy – he is also the President of the BIVB, or the Bourgogne /Burgundy Wine Board. (Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne)

Here are the show notes:

• Laurent gives us details on the remarkable rise of his career after the heartbreaking sale of his family estate, how he and his wife Catherine built Les Jamelles from absolutely nothing to a big, respected brand, and his unbelievably triumphant return to Burgundy and re-purchase of the Edouard Delaunay
  estate.
  
  
  
  
• We discuss the DVP - Domaines & Vins de Propriété, a marketing and distribution company for more than 250 small, high quality, family owned brands in Burgundy, Beaujolais, Rhône, Provence, and Languedoc-Roussillon. Here is the link to see which brands Laurent’s group works with. I know I’ll be looking for them – he has great taste!

Edouard Delaunay wines

• We discuss the Edouard Delaunay wines, their young, award winning winemaker, Christophe Briotet, and some of the flagship wines at each level. We discuss Laurent’s relationship with Total Wine in the US (his wines are distributed elsewhere, so if you aren’t in the States you can still get them!)

Christophe Briotet, photo from Maison Edouard Delaunay

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I ask Laurent to switch to his role as the BIVB president: I ask a bunch of questions I've always had about Burgundy...I mean Bourgogne...

• Burgundy or Bourgogne? What should we be calling the region?
  
  
• Once and for all, is Beaujolais part of Burgundy?
  
  
• What is happening with climate change in Burgundy?
  
  
• What does he think about the fact that the top wines are so expensive and the prices for many of the Village wines have gone up dramatically?
  
  
• How do we do tourism in Bourgogne? He provided this Wine Tourism Guide published by BIVB that includes much information about visiting Bourgogne including a broad list of participating vignerons who welcome visitors

A fantastic show with one of the most modest, yet dynamic figures in French wine today! Go try Laurent’s wines of Edouard Delaunay—they are fantastic and he is a wonderful person!

____________________________________________________

 Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written. 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

After a week-long trip to Piedmont, Italy with a group of 20 patrons, I give an update on the region and offer some ideas on how to explore the wines on the ground and through the glass.

View from La Morra

Tips and producers mentioned/that we visited or that I recommend visiting: 

1. To explore Nebbiolo, first hit Roero, then Barbaresco, and finally Barolo (first La Morra and Barolo, then Castiglione Falleto, Serralunga, and Monforte).

Roero producers: Matteo Correggia, Massucco

Barbaresco producers: Produttori del Barbaresco, Punset, Cascina delle Rose, Bruno Giacosa

Barolo producer: Marrone, Marchesi di Barolo

Marina Marcarino of Punset in Barbaresco

2. Barbera regions: Nizza, Barbera d'Alba, Barbera d'Asti, Barbera Monferrato

Nizza producer: Erede di Chiappone Armando

Nizza, at Erede di Chiappone Armando

3. Dolcetto regions: Dogliani, Ovada, Diano, Dolcetto d'Acqui, Dolcetto d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Asti

Diano producer: Abrigo Giovanni

Abrigo Giovanni, Dolcetto di Diano

4. Alta Langa (sparkling wine in the traditional method)

Producers: Contratto, Coppo

5. Place to try lots of wines: Banca del Vino

• White grapes mentioned: Arneis, Cortese (Gavi), FAvroita (Vermentino), Timorasso, Nascetta, Erbaluce, Moscato
• Red grapes mentioned: Freisa, Grignolino, Ruché, Brachetto, Albarossa, Pelaverga
• Aromatized wines: Barolo Chianto, Vermouth

There is so much to explore - get out of just Barolo and Barbaresco and you'll open yourself to a totally different side of Piedmont.

_____________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

 Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written. 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Giovanni Correggia of Matteo Correggia. Photo ©Wine For Normal People

This podcast was extra special for me, as I was able to record live with Giovanni Correggia of Matteo Correggia in Roero, a part of the Piedmont in Italy that I love and that I try to champion as much as possible. I met Giovanni several years ago and loved his wines and his family story. This podcast is so many things all at once:

• A great education on the Roero region, by the most famed producer there
• The story of a grape that was reborn in this place
• A lesson in the politics of the Piedmont and how some simple choices have brought fame to Barolo and Barbaresco and kept Roero down
• A fascinating family story that includes a talented champion of Roero, horrible tragedy, triumph of a widow who had nothing to do with wine and her unbelievable strength of character and perseverance for the legacy of her kids, and the current generation (Giovanni) with its shining positivity, great vision and promise of a great future for the Correggia family and its wines.

I truly love the wines of Matteo Correggia and I believe that the Nebbiolos he makes  (just called Roero on the bottle) are the exact style of wine so many of us love – elegance, minerality, balance with none of the heaviness or the tannins that we sometimes get from Barolo. The Arneis, it goes without saying, is a white for the ages – a minerally, floral, saline wine with real gravity and the Barbera also has a lighter touch than some of the versions from over the river. Although hard to find, Giovanni’s Brachetto is as tasty as he will describe as well.

I have to say that in interviewing Giovanni and then in editing this show, I laughed and teared up many times. I felt indignant on his behalf, and also triumphant. I hope the conversation we had evokes the same emotions in you. If nothing else, it’s a great story and a great education on an underestimated region.

Here are the show notes:

1. We discuss Roero, its location across from Barberesco and Barolo, and what that means for the climate of the area versus the other famed Nebbiolo areas of Piedmont
   
   
   
2. Giovanni describes the soil types and how a small sea that once existed here, as well as the changing course of the Tanaro River, created a terroir with seashells, a canyon, and steep slopes covered in sandy soil that imbues the wines with a unique minerality that only exists in Roero
   
   
   Val dei Preti Vineyard, Matteo Correggia. Photo ©Wine For Normal People
3. Once Roero was criticized for having multiple crops, but Giovanni talks about how this is now a distinct advantage
   
   
   
4. Giovanni gives us a history lesson on Roero through his single vineyards on which he has great records: La Val dei Preti and Roche d’Ampsej and Marun. We discuss some of the modern history of Roero and some of its challenges
   
   
   Matteo Correggia wines. Photo ©Wine For Normal People
   
   
5. We learn about the history of the Correggia family and of his father, Matteo, who started the winery in 1985 at age 23. We talk about Matteo’s early relationship with the founder of Slow Food, Carlo Petrini, and how that led to great opportunities for the winery and the philosophy around organics. Giovanni tells us about his father’s “membership” in the Barolo Boys as the only non-Barolo producer and how those relationships with Elio Altare and Roberto Voerzio were pivotal to early success
   
   
   
6. Giovanni shares with us the tragedy around his father’s death and how his mother Ornella, brought the winery to new heights with great vision and the help of winemaker Luca Rostagno, and the Barolo Boys
   
   
7. We talk about the wines and specific vineyards:
   • Giovanni talks about how different vineyards -- La Val dei Preti, Roche d’Ampsej, make different Nebbiolos and how they make wines that are more elegant, less tannic, and more aromatic and minerally than the Nebbiolo of the Langhe. We discuss the biggest problem for Roero, which is that Barolo and Barbaresco producers make excellent wines from the region and label them Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d’Alba instead of Roero, thus keeping the region from being recognized
   • We discuss Correggia’s Barbera, and the funny story of the Marun vineyard. Giovanni gives me a great lesson on Barbera and its challenges in the vineyard
   • We discuss Brachetto, the special clone from Roero, and why it is such a unique grape that, when made dry, is great for summer drinking

Giovanni Correggia with Brachetto. Photo ©Wine For Normal People

8. We wrap with a discussion of Matteo Correggia’s leadership on screw cap in the region, and a discussion of the challenges and opportunities for Roero, and how Arneis is just the beginning for this undervalued region

Definitely check out Giovanni’s wines – they are so inexpensive for what they are! Saratoga Wine in the states has almost the entire line, as does Tannico in the UK.

_________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

 Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written. 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Cairanne is an 877 ha/2,167 acre appellation in the southern Rhône Valley that has been farmed since the time of the Greeks. It is not just a regular appellation, it is a cru of elevated status in the Côtes du Rhône. It doesn’t get the credit it deserves! After tasting much of it at a wine fair in the southern Rhône, I found it unbelievably delicious. A cru with acidity and a lighter profile but still so much character? YES.

And after speaking to a few of the other producers in the appellation, I found Jean-Etienne Alary and his father, Denis. Jean-Etienne has a worldly view, after spending time in Australia and New Zealand, and Domaine Alary's wines are some of the best Cairanne out there. Combining old techniques and newer ideas, Domaine Alary makes spectacular wines, with Jean-Etienne taking over the main winemaking duties from his father, Denis, who helped lead the charge to make Cairanne a Cru.

Photo: Denis and Jean-Etienne Alary. ©Wine For Normal People  

Here's a quick look at the topics we discuss in the show: 

1. Jean-Etienne gives us a full education on Cairanne. We cover:

• Cairanne’s location and its proximity to places like Gigondas, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and Rasteau, as well as the Rhône River
• The main grapes that are grown, typical blends of Cairanne, and how a small percentage of Cinsault, Counoise or Carignan can go a long way. We discuss the whites, which are a small but very important part of the wines of Cairanne
  • The three main types of terroir and what grows best on each
  • The climate and the strong Mistral effect, which helps keep disease off the grapes. We hit on climate change and drought, and what it means for certain grapes in the appellation
  • The elegance that defines Cairanne versus all other Cru of the south

2. Then we discuss the 11 generations of the Alary family, their history in Cairanne and their essential role in Cairanne

• The Alarys have been involved in wine in Cairanne since 1692 and have farmed exclusively in this area since, surviving wars, phylloxera, mildews, to be what it is today
• We discuss Denis Alary, Jean-Etienne’s father and how he started to make significant changes when he graduated from oenology school in the 80s. We talk about the age of the big wine critic and how the Rhône bent to the will of certain critics but has come back to its roots. discuss how Denis and the close-knit wine community of Cairanne fought to get the appellation to cru status for decades, finally achieving the goal in 2016. Finally, we cover how Denis moved Alary to a certified organic property in 2009, years before it became trendy!

3. We discuss the cru system and how, even though all cru are equal in the eyes of the law, they are not treated the same. Jean-Etienne talks about his aspirations to make Cairanne as well recognized as other cru

4. We discuss Jean-Etienne’s experiences in winemaking in Australia at Henschke and New Zealand at Seresin and the differences in how things get done in France vs the New World.

Photo: The Wines of Domaine Alary. ©Wine For Normal People

5. We talk about the wines of Alary:

• The Cairanne from Alary, and the role of Carignan and how it can be made in a lighter, elegant style
• The whites, although only 5% of the AOC, are 20% of Alary’s production and based on the Clairette grape, from which Alary makes stunning whites that are reminiscent of Sauvignon blanc.
• Winemaking philosophy and the use of technology versus intuition
• The future for Cairanne and for Alary

If you haven’t had a wine from  Cairanne, seek it out, especially the wines of Alary. These wines are elegant, drinkable, and fantastic with food!

____________________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

 Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written. 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

David Morrison is a wine analyst and writer. He is an Australian living in Sweden. He has a PhD in plant biology, and that expertise led him to explore the wineries throughout Australia, learning about the high quality wines and vineyards there.

Picture: The Wine Gourd

He runs a blog called The Wine Gourd (winegourd.blogspot.com), which looks at wine from a totally different perspective – one that focuses on wine data. He seeks to take a more objective look at data, and he draws logical conclusions without an agenda, which means that most of his work provides new insights in wine that others can’t or won’t provide. Much of his work has to do with finding value for money in wine, the relevance of scores, and other major topics from which faulty conclusions are often drawn from data that is easily accessible.

This is a great show, should be eye opening and if you are a person who likes hard data to back up decisions, you will become an addict to the blog as I have.

Topics we cover are:

1. How data is used and abused in the wine industry to forward agendas or opinions couched as fact
   
   
2. Wine and health – from the article “Why we are never going to know whether wine is good for us or not”

3. Whether or not biodynamic wines taste better than organic wines

4. Critic scores and whether they have any meaning…

• The fundamental problem with wine scores
• How bad are wine scores, really?
• Do online wine ratings and searches actually mean anything?

5. Quantifying QPR (quality to price ratio) for yourself (four-part series)

Photo: Canva Professional

6. How Global wine consumption has been declining for a long time

7. Wine marketing and the wrong questions asked by the industry

8. How Napa grapes are overpriced

9. The future: wine recommendation engines

If you really want to go down the rabbit hole on these and many other topics: http://winegourd.blogspot.com Sign up for his email notifications from the blog – you’ll learn more from it about shopping for wine, selecting wine, etc. than from any other source.

___________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

 Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written. 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This podcast was recorded after my trip to the Découvertes en Vallée du Rhône, a wine trade fair that I was invited to by Inter-Rhône. It was a wonderful learning experience and I stayed on for a few days afterwards to explore Hermitage, Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, St. Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, and in the south, Beaumes de Venise with Claude Chabran of Rhonéa, Gigondas with Elisa Cheron from Familie Cheron of Domaine du Grand Montmirail, and a self-guided tour of vineyards in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It was a fantastic trip and I am grateful to the people at Inter-Rhone for the opportunity.

Photo: Découvertes en Vallée du Rhône at Palais des Papes in Avignon, Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People

If you are curious about some of the people I mention as partners in crime in the show:

• Matt Walls, Rhône expert, Decanter’s Rhône contributor, author of Wines of the Rhône
• Adam Lechmere, editor of Club Oenologique and prominent wine writer
• Elizabeth “Liz” Gabay, MW – Rosé goddess (and the world’s foremost rosé expert)
• Jamie Goode of Wine Anorak and author or several books
• Also, not mentioned by name (with apologies, but MC Ice had me thinking of Brits – these guys are fantastic), Kurtis Kolt, a great writer and consultant from Vancouver, Canada and Gurvinder Bhatia, Editor-in-Chief of Quench magazine

Photo: The Rhône in Bloom! by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People

1. Côtes du Rhône percentages are PLANTINGS, not blend percentages in Côtes du Rhône wines. So if the requirement is 40% Grenache for a Côtes du Rhône, that is how much Grenache must be plantedin a vineyard for Côtes du Rhône, not how much has to be in the blend. Case in point: I had a 99% Syrah that was a Village wine.

2. The producer is a big part of whether you like a wine or not, but you should still learn region before you learn producer. Producer can make or break your experience. It’s hard to learn but once you understand what the region has to offer, the next step is finding the producers you like.

Great producers: Familie Cheron of Domaine du Grand Montmirail, Gigondas

3. About white grapes in rosé wine…it’s a-ok! I mentioned Elizabeth “Liz” Gabay, MW – goddess of pink wine and her son Ben. Look them up. White wines are allowed to be used in rosé as long as those grapes are fermented with the juice from red grapes. Whites Clairette, Picpoul, and Bouboulenc are used to lighten up one of my absolute favorite rosés, the Rhône cru, Tavel.

4. Roussanne grows really well in the southern Rhône and there is more of it than ever before. The is distinctive when you taste it in a blend and there are more whites from Côtes du Rhône and the Villages planting and growing this awesome grape to make it a bigger part of blends. Check out the pod we did on this wonderful grape.

5. Clairette is another a grape that no one talks about it but is awesome – acidic, refreshing, can be like Sauvignon Blanc, lighter style Rieslings, zippy, and green fruit notes. It is used in large proportions in Côtes du Rhône blanc from the south.

6. Cairanne, the cru of the southern Rhône, is light on its feet and a completely different wine than the rest of the cru. Because of the larger proportion of Cinsault, the lighter soils, the Mistral wind, and the terroir, the wines have a lighter touch than many of the other southern Rhône cru. Cairanne makes pretty and elegant wine still with great fruit.

7. An important point from the trip: Please STOP SENDING ME COMMENTS ABOUT MY FRENCH.Even when I tried to say names of regions and wines, I was not understood by folks in the Rhône or other parts of the south. It often took Google translate to communicate. If I tried to pronounce things in French it would have a terrible effect – neither French speakers nor English speakers would understand me and it would be futile. WFNP is an English language podcast and I need to pronounce things so that English language speakers (most of whom speak no French) understand what wines and regions I am saying so they can seek these wines out. After this trip, I will no longer be answering these comments and if you find that offensive, you can feel free to turn off the show. I’m sorry to see you go, but I’m no longer going to be apologetic for anglicizing French.

Photo: Dentelles du Montmirail in Gigondas, by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People

8. Gigondas is NOT a baby Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in my opinion. Some is very tannic and harsh, some is just beautiful but it is all about skill and terroir. The best producers aren’t trying to mimic Châteauneuf-du-Pape. They are their own expression of mainly Grenache in a hot, mistral effected areas of the Dentelles du Montmirail. Moulin de la Gardette and Domaine de Longue Toque are exquisite examples of terroir-driven Gigondas wines that are not trying to emulate Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Photo: Condrieu, by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People

9. Condrieu has a lot more to it than you may think.

• • First, it has two different parts, In the north where the wines are almost Sauvignon Blanc like – herbal, lime-like, lightly floral (jasmine) with higher acidity and a lighter body. In the south the wines are more like a traditional Viognier – peachy, sweet lemon, apricot notes with a fuller body but still with more acidity than New World Viognier
  • Condrieu has some rows of vines that, because of the undulation of the hills, face north or northeast. These north facing rows are not considered Condrieu and are declassified into IGP Viognier, according to Aurelien Chirat from Vignoble Chirat.
  • Finally, whole bunch fermentation can be used to add texture to wines but also to dilute or absorb alcohol. The stems have water in them that will dilute alcohol, they also can absorb some of the alcohol into their wood.

Aurelien Chirat of Vignoble Chirat in Condrieu

10. Most winemakers use outside labs as required by the AOC laws. There is use of technology as a check on the health of the wine, but analysis is not a decision making tool unless there is a problem. This is a very different philosophical bent than the New World.

Photo, Côte Rôtie, by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People 

11. Two things on Côte Rôtie…

• • Despite what I have heard and read in recent times, Côte Rôtie has have Viognier in it – I didn’t find a producer who made a wine without at least a little. Most had 3-5% Viognier in their Syrah wine. The only wines that didn’t have Syrah were special old vine plots or from designated vineyards, from which the winemakers wanted to showcase the Syrah for that particular wine.
  • The plateau of Côte Rôtie has high quality, even though wine people malign it. I loved some of the wines from there – they are softer and easier to drink younger. Some of the wines smelled like manure and carnations – there are several theories as to why, which we discuss in the show.

Photo: Hermitage, by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People 

12. A few things on the very small appellation of Hermitage

• • Books say producers are permitted to blend in Marsanne and Roussanne into the Syrah. That is true, but there isn’t one producer who is doing that. The style is 100% Syrah and although that is for flavor, it’s also because producers need white grapes for the white wine of Hermitage, which represents 30% of what is grown and made.
  • If you haven’t had a white Hermitage, that should be your next investment! This is rare wine and it’s a bargain for how little there is in the world.

13. Crozes-Hermitage has two parts around the base of the hill of Hermitage each makes different wine styles. The northern side is on uniform granite. This is the old part of the appellation before it was expanded many times into southern flatter areas after World War II. Crozes Hermitage makes 50% of all the wine of the northern Rhone and the flat, southern part is less expensive than any other part of the Rhone, so younger producers have a chance to move in and get established. This is a good thing, even if it means the wine can be variable.

Photo: St.Joseph, by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People 

14. St. Joseph is a tannic wine and it is not similar to Crozes-Hermitage, as many books will tell you.The appellation is varied, with many different types of granite (it really should be broken up into pieces). Although the wines from farther north are a little softer, I found them to be so harsh in tannin I could barely drink them. The verdict is out on if they will mellow with time, but to drink the young wine was nearly impossible for me. If you love harsh tannin, this is your wine.

15. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is bigger than the entire northern Rhone combined. It is VERY varied in terroir, farming, and quality, so caveat emptor!

There are a million other little tidbits woven into this show. If you want to explore Rhône beyond study guides and generalizations, this show will get you far in understanding how different reality is from what may be published in books.

I hope you enjoy our “myth-busters, Rhône edition”!

___________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Our sponsor: Wine Spies!

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Langmeil Vineyards has a long and storied history. In 1843, Christian Auricht planted a mixed farm in the heart of the Barossa Valley in Australia. In 1932 Theodor Hanisch, Christian’s grandson established the first winery on the property and after a period of disrepair, in 1996, three men, who had strong roots in the Barossa - Richard Lindner, Carl Lindner and Chris Bitter - rejuvenated the vineyard and winery.

Photo: Langmeil The Freedom 1843 Vineyard, Shiraz

Today that same vineyard from 1843, The Freedom Vineyard, is still producing grapes for wine and Langmeil, although it makes other lovely wines from normal aged vines, has developed a specialty for caring for and making wine from old vine vineyards. Vineyards include the 70-year-old Orphan Block Vineyard These old vines wines are really something spectacular, and like nothing else you can taste.

Photo: James Lindner, co-owner, chief storyteller for Langmeil

In this show, I’m joined by James Lindner, sixth generation Barossan, and son of Richard Lindner, runs the family estate with his parents and brother, while overseeing its sales and distribution both domestically and around the world.  He tells us the story of how these old vines got here and the current state of old vines in Barossa.

Photo: Leigh Woodrow, Sales Manager for Langmeil, loyal listener and friend of the pod

Leigh Woodrow, long time podcast listener, WFNP supporter, Patron, and just all around smart and cool guy is the global and national sales manager for Langmeil and he adds color to the story of Langmeil, and its old vines. A Brit who has lived in Australian now for decades and has much experience in the wine industry, Leigh is humble, kind, funny, and such a great contributor to the Patron community so we need to give a big shout to one of our tribe for bringing this great show and topic to us (Patrons, we may get a bonus on a virtual video tour of the old vines, so stay tuned for that!).

The wines are available in the US and they are spectacular. And I learned a lot from this show about what LEGITIMATE old vines are versus what people may tell us they are.

I hope you enjoy the show as much as I did! And hi to Bette in the Cellar door at Langmeil!

Here are some of the topics we discussed:

1. We learn about Barossa’s wine history, the history of the Australian wine industry, and how Langmeil’s old vines survived

Map: Barossa Australia

2. We discuss the life cycle of a grapevine and how long they can live, along with what happens to vines as they age and how the wines they make taste. We discuss what grape varieties age well and what don’t and the conditions that make good vines
   
   

3. James and Leigh talk about Langmeil’s Shiraz vineyard, the oldest Shiraz vineyard in the world – the Freedom 1843 vineyard. We discuss how farming and stewardship of it is different from younger vines.

4. James talks about a massive project Langmeil undertook to transplant old vines in its Orphan Bank Shiraz Vineyard and how the community pulled together to help make it happen. Although this isn’t an ideal situation, it did help save a 70+ year old vineyard. We mention the old vine properties Langmeil has in Eden Valley, a part of Barossa, as well.

5. James and Leigh describe the Old Vine Charter, why Barossa decided to create the Charter, and the definitions of Old Vines (35-plus years old), Survivor Vines (70-plus years old), Centenarian Vines (100-plus years old) and Ancestor Vines (125-plus years old). We discuss other regions in the world who are looking to Barossa as a model to put more definition around the term “Old Vines”

Photo from Cirillo Wine Estates, the oldest Grenache vineyard 

6. We end with a good discussion of sustainability; how old vines are very sustainable for the environment and how investments in the community and the future of wine in Barossa mean that these old vines will have guardians for many generations to come.

A great show with terrific guests! And we finally get some definition around a very squishy term. Thanks to James and Leigh for sharing the Langmeil story!

_____________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Inspired by a question from a Patron, we give you an original list of wines that are true alternatives to Cabernet if you love the OG and you want to branch out. We come up with 7 solid ideas that are similar but different enough to make them interesting.

The original idea for this list was from Patron Serl Z. and Leigh W. gets credit for naming this series.  People were so excited for these new ideas, we may just make it into a series!

We begin by discussing the main characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon:

• Flavors: Black fruit –especially blackcurrant, black cherry, black plum, blackberry -- earth in Old World versions, fruit in New World versions. The wine occasionally shows mint, eucalyptus, thyme, or green pepper notes. With oak Cab smells and tastes like tobacco, pencil shavings, cigar box, leather
• Generally tannic with good acidity. Some can be age-worthy if they have good tannin structure and acidity (backbone)
• Flavors depend on terroir, winemaking, oak aging

Alternatives:

1. Mourvèdre/Monastrell/Mataro (Bandol in France, Monastrell from southern Spain, and GSM blends from the US and Australia) – dark fruit, intense flavor, long aging
   
   
   
2. Douro Tinto/ Touriga Nacional (Portugal)– dusty tannins with sweet fruit, violets, leather, tobacco, big tannins
   
   
   
3. Alentejo/Alentejano (Portugal) – for people who like juicy, fruity Cabs with soft tannins. These wines are a blend of Alfrocheiro, Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Castelão, Syrah, Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, and, not surprisingly, Cabernet Sauvignon
   
   
4. Sagrantino di Montefalco (Umbria, Italy)-- Sagrantino grape is full bodied, tannic with earth, cherry, smoke and sometimes spicy notes that evolve into leather and tobacco with time. Similar to Cabernet, Sagrantino is astringent in youth and mellows with time

5. Malbec (Cahors, France, Argentina) -- Not all Malbec is created equal. If you want wines that are similar to Cabernet, choose Cahors, which is earthier, heavier, stronger, more tannic and often more terroir-driven. For Argentina, look for wines from sub-regions of Mendoza with older vines and elevation. These areas make wines with stronger tannin, darker fruit, and more acidity. They aren’t as plush as many Malbec. In the Luján de Cuyo valley of Mendozalook for Vistalba and Las Compuertas. In the Valle de Uco, Tunuyán, which includes Paraje Altamira and

6. Petit Verdot (Virginia, Napa, and many other New World regions make varietal Petit Verdot, it’s native home is Bordeaux, where it is part of the Bordeaux blend). Although known for what it brings to the Bordeaux blend, varietal Petit Verdot can be a great Cab alternative. The grapes are thick skinned, and the wines have black fruit, herbs, spice, and dark flower notes. The wine has high acidity and tannins, making it a great sub.

7. Tannat (Madiran, Uruguay, Virginia, Texas, Paso Robles and Santa Cruz Mountains in California other parts of the US. Also Argentina, Brazil, Australia). John S. – this one’s for you! Tannat is often blended with with Cabernet Sauvignon to tame its tannins! In Madiran the wine is far harsher than Cab but in Uruguay, it is more like blackberry, plum, dark raspberry, earth, and spice. It has soft tannins, high alcohol, and is pretty delicious. It resembles a lighter style Cabernet from the North Coast of Sonoma

8. Cabernet Franc (on the list with lots of caveats so this is like a 7.5!). Cabernet Franc is the parent of Cabernet Sauvignon but it’s much earthier, tea-like, and has a lot of red fruit notes. It is nowhere near as tannic as Cabernet and its flavors are really different. Still, it’s not as soft as Merlot and because it can exhibit the herbs and pyrazine (green pepper) of Cabernet Sauvignon, I’m adding it to the list

At the end of the show I mention some cheat regions – good places to get blends with a healthy hit of Cabernet in them: Bordeaux, South African Bordeaux Blends, Hawkes Bay from New Zealand are three I mention!

Please let me know if you like this theme. If so, we’ll do more shows like this!

_____________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

• Denise tells us about her life in Barolo and a bit about her family’s history in the region, as well as about what life used to be like there, during her grandparents’ time
  
  
• We discuss how young Barolo is as a region, and why it’s important to realize that although it has made wine for a long time, really Barolo is at the beginning of its journey versus regions like Chianti
  
  Marrone Barolo Bussia, Courtesy of Marrone
  
  
• Denise gives us a full education on the terroir of Barolo, the most important thing behind the wine. FINALLY I get an excellent definition of the MGA (menzione geografica aggiuntive) system: a mapping of soil types that give some indication about the types of wines you may expect from that area. It’s very similar to the system in Burgundy, but without the cru classifications. Within this conversation with discuss the importance of things like exposure, altitude, position on a slope, wind, rain, and more

• Denise talks about her various vineyards in Madonna di Como and her family rents land to farm in some of the MGAs to make their Barolo (her family prefers to do this versus buying grapes because then they have total control over the farming, which is mainly organic and all sustainable)

• We hammer out the differences in Nebbiolos – Langhe, Nebbiolo d’Alba, Barolo, and Barbaresco – all of which Marrone makes masterfully. We talk truthfully about how some Langhe Nebbiolo and Nebbiolo d’Alba may be better than Barolo, even if it can’t get the same price for the wine.

• Denise talks about her beautiful Barberas, finnicky Dolcettos (and I confirm, it IS an insider’s wine! I love it, I’m biased!), and Marrone’s expansive white wine selection. Marrone’s production is 40% white – Arneis, Chardonnay, and Favorita (Vermentino) – are excellent and their focus on whites shows in the wines. Denise talks a bit about the history of Arneis, specifically, and how difficult it was to make before there was good technology.

• We discuss the role of women in Barolo, and how normal it has become for women like Denise and her sisters Serena and enologist/vigneron Valentina, to take the reins from their fathers today. Denise makes an incredibly astute point that now that technology has made work in the vineyards easier, men and women are much more on equal footing and it’s more a mind thing than a physical thing (BRILLIANT!!).

Denise Marrone, Courtesy of Marrone

• Denise is the QUEEN of hospitality. Our conversation tries to do justice to how good it really is (but you have to go there to understand). Perhaps her last statement about always striving to do more and better explains it best – the attitude of a winery like that has one way to go – and that’s UP!!

You can find Marrone’s wines in the US, Canada, and the UK! They are wonderful, as is she!

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Although one of the most prestigious white grapes of the Rhône Valley, Roussanne is relatively unknown given its penchant for making aromatic, complex, full yet acidic wines. Often used as a blending partner with Marsanne or even with Syrah in its native northern Rhône, the grape shines alone in certain versions from Châteauneuf du Pape, California, Australia, and a handful of other places around the world. In this show we examine the majesty of this grape, which makes extraordinary wines that you should be drinking!

Photo credit: Roussanne - Geshem winery.jpg, CC BY-SA 4.0

Here are the show notes

• Roussanne was named for “roux”, the French word for “russet” – which describes the grapes’ reddish golden color when they are fully ripe
• Likely native to the northern Rhône, Roussanne is related to Marsanne, its blending partner for the famed northern Rhône whites in Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, and Saint-Joseph
• Although it has verged on extinction a few times because it is so challenging in the vineyard, Roussanne continues to be an important part of whites (and reds) in the northern Rhône and elsewhere because few grapes can rival the combination of structure and aromatics

Roussanne Flavors

• Roussanne has aromas and flavors of pear, honey, and herbal tea (Chamomile or lemon verbena). It can be like jasmine, iris, honeysuckle and other white flowers. The wine is distinctly minerally with green herb notes and some are more like apricot and peach
• Roussanne is distinctive because it has a mouth-filling, oily, fuller body but always exhibits characteristic acidity. With age appears softer and shows nutty, marzipan, and creamy notes. The wine can age 15 or more years and still be excellent

Roussanne in the vineyard and cellar

• Roussanne is a real challenge to grow – the people who make wine from it are often small producters who treat it as a passion project – demand for the wines isn’t high and growing it can be an exercise in frustration
• Yields are irregular, ripening can be uneven, the grape is susceptible to mildew, rot and pests, and according to Tablas Creek in Paso Robles, California, who grows a large proportion of the grape in the United States, the grape can shut down as it is ripening, lose leaves and turn yellow, never to recover from this issue
• The grape does well on poor, stony calcareous-clay soils that are well-drained but it can’t take wind or drought. Too much heat can cause the sugar to spike and make the resulting wine too alcoholic without balanced acidic. On the flip side, picking too early leads to excessively acidic wine that lacks balancing body
• Roussanne needs a long, consistent season – it demands it to make the best wines
• In the cellar, Roussanne is pretty easy going and versatile. It can make great wine when fermented in any type of vessel and with limited oak aging, its textures can be even smoother and the wines can be more complex

Roussanne regions...

France

Northern Rhône:

• The native home of the grape, Roussanne is used as a blending partner with Marsanne in the whites of Hermtiage, Crozes Hermitage, and Saint-Joseph. It can also be blended into the reds (Syrah) of those areas but is usually a small percentage of those wines (no more than 10-15%), if used at all. Roussanne is also used in the still and sparkling wines of Saint-Péray. There is much more Marsanne than Roussanne planted in the northern Rhône because it is so much easier to grow, but Roussanne continues to play a big role in the wines because it is so high quality

Southern Rhône

• Roussanne shines in Châteauneuf du Pape blanc. Marsanne is not permitted in the appellation, so Roussanne shines on its own or when blended with Grenache Blanc, Bourbolenc and other grapes. The most famous example of a pure Roussanne in the region is the white of Château de Beaucastel
• Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages whites, Costières de Nîmes, Luberon, Ventoux and many other appellations use Roussanne in blends

Other French areas

• Roussanne is used in blends in the Languedoc and Roussillon, the Loire, and in Provence

Savoie

• In this Alpine region the grape is called Bergeron and its wines are from the appellation Chignin Bergeron. The wine is peppery with fresh aroma of green mountain herbs, and although it has higher acidity and lower alcohol than other French versions, the wine still has excellent aroma and a soft, cheek-coating texture

Outside of France

• Italy: Liguria, Toscana
• Portugal: Alentejo
• Canada
• Israel
• South Africa
• Australia: Came to the continent in 1882 and is used in blends in both whites and reds

The US

• Growing in Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington state (shows great potential)
• In California: Came in the 1870s but it was hard to grow so acreage declined, and it wasn’t revived until the 1990s when Tablas Creek (a partnership with Château de Beaucastel, so clippings were easy to come by) and Alban propagated new cuttings of Roussanne. Today there are over 300 acres planted in California, mainly in the Central Coast, with some in Napa, Lodi, and some other spots.
• Wineries producing Roussanne in blends or alone are: Alban Vineyards, Anglim Winery, Acquiescece in Lodi, Bonny Doon Winery, Cass Winery, Halter Ranch Vineyard, , JC Cellars, McCrea Cellars, Qupe, Stolpman Vineyards, Tablas Creek, Truchard Vineyard, Zaca Mesa

Credit to Tablas Creek for providing so much information on their blog. Links from their blog:

1. Tablas Creek blog: Grapes/Roussanne

2. Tablas Creek blog: A Symposium on Roussanne

Other Sources:

• Truchard Vineyards
• Wine Grapes, by Jancis Robinson
• Grapes & Wine, Margaret Rand, Oz Clarke
• The Wine Cellar Insider

_____________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get a $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

April Nalle from Nalle Winery, who make brilliant Zinfandel (also great Pinot noir, blends, Cabernet and more) in an old-school style, is a good friend with whom I speak often. April has had some really big moments lately, where she’s gone from just being concerned about climate change to being inspired to be a change agent. She’s at the beginning of her journey and I wanted to get her at this point to tell us how it all starts.

In this show we talk about how to make a vineyard more environmentally friendly, so we are joined by vigneron Whitney Hopkins of Hopkins River Ranch in the Russian River, who farms the land mainly organically . April and her husband Andrew Nalle buy Pinot Noir from Whitney and her father, who farm the ranch together.

Whitney Hopkins of Hopkins River Ranch, Left. April Nalle, of Nalle Winery, Right

This show should give you insight into where the wine industry needs to make improvements in the fight against climate change and where it’s already doing a pretty good job.

Warning: This is a dorky discussion!!!

Here are the notes:

• April discusses a revelation moment she had after reading the book “Under the Sky We Make: How to Be Human in a Warming World” and why she feels it is so important to take bolder action in the wine world to help ameliorate the impacts of climate change. We discuss the lack of water in California and some of the impacts of that in farming.

• We discuss the ways small wineries like Nalle and smaller vineyards like Hopkins River Ranch are already planet friendly:

The Nalle Family: 5 Generations of Farming. Photo courtesy of Nalle

• We talk about why a small winery or vineyard often can’t afford the time or money it takes to go through and maintain an organic or biodynamic certification. Hopkins Ranch is farmed almost all organically but Whitney doesn’t have time to add certification paperwork to her workload. In addition, in areas with wet weather, it can be very hard to commit to only organic practices when doing so may mean that you lose an entire crop.
  
  Sustainability is a pyramid – social, economic, and environmental concerns are all part of it. Losing a crop could mean losing a business so flexibility with the goal of being as gentle as possible with your land has to be the way for many small wineries.

• We get to the brass tacks: Whitney and April address the question of how much the vineyard really contributes environmental issues? It turns out that although refinement and changes need to continue – we need to use more electric vehicles in the vineyard and to drive around, to find products that can deal effectively and gently with vineyard hazards (mildew, mold, insects), and to continually adjust – the biggest ecological issues in wine are on the winery and sales side.

Hopkins Ranch, Russian River Valley, Photo courtesy of Nalle 

• We talk about the list of things that April wants to do for now (it’s a wish list, again small wineries have fewer resources): use only refillable bottles for Nalle, change the labels, use electric vehicles for transport, do less tilling and more manual work in the vineyard, and add solar panels to the winery. Whitney discusses how water and drought are such issues that the Hopkins are working with the local government to tap into the recycled  water program.
  
  

Nalle's traditional label may need to change when refillable bottles are the norm

• We wrap with some tips on how tell if a winery is giving you marketing BS about being green or whether they are the real deal.

Thanks to Whitney and April for their candor. I love that I got some answers on the impacts of the vineyard. As we turn our focus to the winery, we’ll make sure to track April’s changes in the winery at Nalle and tracks the outcomes of doing better for the planet.

____________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

After a trip to the Willamette Valley in Oregon, M.C. Ice and I have a casual discussion on "What I learned on my school vacation" 😂 -- a  few details of the region, specifics on the wineries and sub-regions, and ultimately (apologies, but Oregon super fans won't want to hear this) my opinions on the challenges I have with the Pinot Noir of the region and how I feel that Chardonnay may be Willamette's best grape. 

View from Beaux Frères

Remember -- the show is based on my opinions with some facts (as I have always said, Wine For Normal People is not a study guide for an exam nor is it impartial. I offer facts but always with my spin or interpretation on it. If you don't like it, that's fine, but never has this show pretended to be a journalistic look at regions or a show that doesn't give my spin on things. In a show like this, it's especially important to remember that). 

View from a high point of the Dundee Hills

Regions mentioned:

• Dundee Hills
• Yamhill-Carlton
• Chehalem Mountains and Ribbon Ridge
• Eola-Amity Hills
• McMinnville
• Willamette Valley
• Van Duzer Corridor
• The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA (for that epic Syrah)

Wineries mentioned:

• Domaine Divio
• Beaux Frères
• Lenné
• Domaine Drouhin
• Purple Hands
• Le Cadeau (the Syrah I mentioned is their other label, Aubichon)
• Methven Family Vineyards
• Coeur de Terre

The area is gorgeous, the people very kind, but ultimately not much has changed for me from the original Oregon podcast. I remain skeptical of the value for money that Oregon offers and the quality and consistency of the Pinot Noir. I have become a big fan of the Chardonnay of the area, and I think Gamay has a big future here but the region is still young and it has staked its entire reputation on Pinot Noir, so we'll see what happens in the years to come. 

One final shoutout to Caravan Coffee, for the best cup I've ever had in the US!! 

*All photos (C)Elizabeth Schneider

____________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Sicily has a long history, and all of it is tied up with the evolution of wine and food in the Sicilian culture. In this show, we look at how this huge Mediterranean island played a major role in every major civilization from indigenous tribes to the current generation of young winemakers who seek to carve out a niche for Sicily and its unique wine culture.

Here’s a brief timeline of what we talk about: 

Sicilian Wine Timeline...

• 10,000 years ago: Natural grapevines on Etna
  
  
• Indigenous groups – Siculi, Socani, Elymi (Greeks who brought wine to Sicily)

Photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art

• 8th – 3rd century BCE: Greeks arrived, introduced grapes and planted a lot of vineyards. They introduced pruning, varietal selection, bush training, and techniques to make great wine. Wine became an economic essential, as Sicily’s strategic position allows Greeks to export wine all over the Mediterranean. Inzolia, Zibibbo, Lucido/Catarratto were brought from Greece.
  
  
  
• 3rd century BCE: Roman Republic wins control of Sicily over the Greeks. The Roman Empire reigns afterwards. During both eras, the Romans planted more grapes, refined viticulture and winemaking techniques and traded Sicilian wine throughout the Roman empire, enriching wine merchants on Sicily. Mamertino, Julius Caesar’s favorite wine was made in Sicily. Wine vessels from Sicily have been found in France and other parts of Europe.

Photo: National Gallery Open Access

• 535 AD –826 AD: After the chaos that ensued after the fall of the Roman Empire, Byzantines conquered Sicily and used it as their base in the Mediterranean to take over other parts of Italy. The church revived viticulture and make wine for religious purposes and for trade around the Mediterranean.

• 826 AD –1061 AD: Muslim rule -- not great for wine, as it is against the law to consume alcohol. Viticulture did not prosper, but it didn’t die. A few people still drank, and Z'bīb, Muscat of Alexandria, thrived as a table grape. The food and spices introduced during this time had a lasting impact on the cuisine of Sicily.

• 1061 AD –1189 AD: The Normans, Christian descendants from Vikings conquered Sicily and brought wine back to the table in full force. The rulers expanded vineyards and wine became an economic mainstay for the Normans – they traded it and it was part of life for the aristocracy so Sicilian wine had status. Rather than throw out the influence, the Normans incorporated Arab spices and cooking in their food. Vermicelli (pasta) likely was made here in 1154 AD, 100 years before Marco Polo was born.

• 1189 AD – 1266 AD: Norman rule ends and Henry VI of Swabia claims the throne.

• 1266 AD: Pope Clement IV puts Charles, Count of Anjou and Provence, on the throne in Sicily but in 1282 a French soldier insults a Sicilian girl on her way into a church for Vesper services. This sparks the uprising called the Sicilian Vespers, ending French rule.

• 1282: Peter II of Aragón (Spain) took control of Sicily. Wine was an important economic commondity as it was traded to northern winemaking areas to beef up their wines with color, flavor, and alcohol.

Photo: Wikipedia

• 1400s-1500s: Guilds of wine merchants and growers flourished under the Aragón rule. Tomatoes, chocolate, squash, cactus, and other items were brought on Spanish ships from Mexico, revolutionizing the Sicilian cuisine.

• 1700s: The House of Bourbon, a power family from Spain who ruled in Sicily, invested in local wine again.

• 1773: John Woodhouse makes Marsala on the western side of the island, ships it out to England and the American colonies. Marsala was the first Italian wine to be exported America. Marsala was a major contributor to the Sicilian economy and to the islands prestige

Photo credit: Dedda71, CC-BY-SA-3.0

• 1816: Naples and Sicily were united under the Aragón crown in the Kingdom of two Sicilies.

• 1861: Giuseppe Garibaldi claims Sicily as part of the Italian Republic, ending Aragón rule. The Risorgimento, Italian unification, was not beneficial to Sicily. They found it difficult to integrate into continental Italy.  The economy suffered, and the first great emigration out of Sicily, occurred, spreading of the cuisine and wine traditions around the world – to America, Australia, the UK, and other places.

• Late 1800s: Mass plantings of vineyards became necessary to supply Europe with wine in the wake of phylloxera. This was a prosperous time for wine in Sicily until phylloxera hit the island. Due to economic restrictions, poverty, and the level of destruction from phylloxera, Sicily took about 60 years to properly recover from the aphid.

• 1950s: Sicily finally recovers from phylloxera. Vineyards mechanize, but in the post-World War II – global demand dropped for Sicilian wine.

• 1960s and 1970s: Again, Sicilian wines exported to bulk wines up from northern areas. Sicily’s reputation for quality suffered.

• 1980s –1990s: Some older families on the island planted international grapes to garner international attention from critics, and build a reputation for good wine. Consultants were hired, and Sicily gained global recognition for its wines made of Syrah, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and other international grapes.

• 1990s – Native grapes were introduced to the world to a positive reception.

• Today – the new generation is ready for smaller production and higher quality from native grapes, continuing the 3000+ year legacy of quality wine.

Don’t forget to check out the LIVE class on Thursday or watch it on my YouTube Channel if you can’t catch it live. Thank you to the Wines of Sicily DOC for the opportunity to offer this class for free!

___________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

_______________________________________________________________

Main Sources for the podcast:

https://cantinebarbera.it/en/cookie/47-myblog-marilena-barbera/154-history-of-sicilian-wine-culture.html

https://www.umass.edu/journal/sicilyprogram/sicilianfoodhistory.html

Others:

https://www.myguidesicily.com/usefulinfo/wines-of-sicily-and-their-history

https://www.britannica.com/place/Sicily

https://www.winemag.com/2019/04/16/beginners-guide-to-the-wines-of-sicily/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Sicily

To truly understand Italian wine, you have to understand its integral ties to Italian culture. In Italy, food and wine tell the story of a region’s cultural identity, history, and the character of its people. With my recent seminars on Sicilia (on YouTube if you missed them), and an impending trip to Piedmont with a group of Wine for Normal People listeners, the interplay of Italian wine, food, and culture has been top of mind. It was in this context that I invited the famed New York restaurateur, and Italian cultural advocate, Gianfranco Sorrentino, on the show.

Gianfranco is originally from Naples in southern Italy and after many years of managing restaurants all over Europe and Asia, he settled in New York. He learned the ropes, working for some of the most prestigious restaurants in Manhattan and then opening the first fine dining establishment in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

He opened his first venture, Il Gattopardo, in New York in 2001 (a very difficult time to open!). In 2011, he opened The Leopard at des Artistes, his restaurant in the New York landmark Hotel des Artistes and, in 2014, Mozzarella e Vino opened directly across from MoMA.

Gianfranco is a passionate advocate of Italian food, wine and culture and he is also the founder of Gruppo Italiano (GI), an evolution from the original Gruppo Ristoranti Italiani (GRI), which was established in 1979. The group works to promote awareness of Italian wines, cuisine, and products and to help people in the US understand and appreciate the beauty of the Italian culture and its unbreakable tie to wine and food. Although he is based in the US, Gianfranco has a global view and everyone can learn  from the discussion Gianfranco and I have about the landscape of Italian food, wine, and culture, and the special importance of supporting small producers and keeping traditions alive.

All Gianfranco’s restaurants use authentic ingredients to that highlight the traditions of Italian culture and hospitality. The three are in Manhattan:

• Il Gattopardo (ilgattopardonyc.com, 13-15 West 54th Street) serves traditional Southern Italian food with a contemporary twist. It is Gianfranco’s original restaurant and is award winning and a New York institution.

• The Leopard at des Artistes (theleopardnyc.com, 1 West 67th Street) is in the famed Hotel des Artistes. The Leopard emphasizes food from “The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies’-- the regions of Campania, Basilicata, Calabria, Puglia, Sardinia, and Sicily. The dishes are a balance of rural elements from these regions and include pasta, vegetables, cheese, and fresh seafood.

• Mozzarella & Vino (mozzarellaevino.com, 33 West 54th Street) is across from MoMA on 54th Street, is a more casual dining experience and, as the name suggests, ingredients focus on Mozzarella di bufala, and on wines from family estates and independent Italian winemakers.

Also, if you are interested, here is the book we discussed in the show, “The Leopard”

Grapes we discuss: Fiano, Greco di Tufo, Pallagrello Bianco, Piedirosso/Per'e Palummo, Aglianico

I hope the show gives you a new appreciation for how wine and food are more than just nutrition and libation for Italians!

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Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Caren McNamara founded Conscious Container in 2017 to bring the refillable glass bottle marketplace to the wine industry (pre-WWII, we re-used most packaging. Other countries kept doing it, but in the US that stopped). The goal: reduce single use packaging waste and turn glass bottles into multi-use vessels by setting up an infrastructure for collection, cleaning, inspection, and re-use.

Caren was a project and change management manager for a major tech company but she left that behind when she saw a hole in the marketplace for refillable and reusable glass, and the opportunity to make a big impact on the beverage industry.

In the show we talk about we talk about how we wound up throwing away assets like glass, rather than re-using them, and how things like lightweight packages (reduce) and recycling are less effective than the third “r” – reuse - which is usually the most efficient of the three.

Caren discusses the opportunities for Conscious Container to do good, what it will take for her operation to become full-scale, and offers ideas of things we can do to help Conscious Container’s mission, like asking at tasting rooms about refillable bottle programs, requesting that wine clubs look into using refillable bottles, and keeping up to date on new developments which would allow us to participate in the re-use economy.

Shout out to April Nalle of Nalle Winery for being an innovator,  using this program and for introducing me to Caren and all the cool stuff she's doing! 

Here are some links to things Caren mentions in the show:

• CC Refill-My-Wine website -  this link goes directly to the Support Us! page for wineries to work with Conscious Container

• ReLoop 'Reusables vs Single-Use Packaging.  A combination of 32 Life Cycle Assessments on the topic with a clear "win" for refillable glass bottles, Caren used these numbers in the podcast

• “The Message in a Reusable Wine Bottle: Combat Climate Change” a New York Times article about refillable bottles and the Gotham Project.

• The Porto Protocol

• Diana Snowden Seysses -  who is working on bottle reuse with the Porto Protocol, and who is winemaker at Domaine Dujas- Snowden Winery and Ashes & Diamonds Winery

Go to Conscious Container to learn more.

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

In this episode, Alberto Tasca d'Almerita, part of the 8th generation of the Tasca d’Almerita family, the CEO of Tasca d’Almerita winery, and one of the directors of the Sicilia DOC joins the show.

This is an excellent complement to the Wines of Sicily class (part 1 now on the YouTube Channel!).

Photo: Courtesy of Tasca d'Almerita

The Tasca d’Almerita family got into wine in the 1830s with the purchase of Tenuta Regaleali in the center of Sicily, with a range of altitudes that rise up to nearly 3000 ft/900 m, a variety of exposures, mixed soils, and elevations. The varied terrior and strong diurnals means that so many grapes grow well here – the winery grows 25 red and white varietals and the wines are fresh, fruity and honor the Sicilian tradition.

In the early 2000s, Alberto took over the business side of Tasca d’Almerita. He shook things up and modernized the winery, improving the wines but staying true to tradition. Alberto grew the winery to four other Sicilian winegrowing regions: Tenuta Capofaro on the Aeolian island of Salina; Tenuta Tascante on Mt. Etna; Tenuta Whitaker on the Phoenician island of Mozia; and Tenuta Sallier de La Tour in the DOC Monreale. To say that Alberto understands the ins and outs of Sicily and what it has to give is an understatement.

Photo: Courtesy of Sicilia DOC

I found that one of the most altruistic and interesting things about Alberto Tasca d’Almerita, is that he doesn’t only focus on his own business. He helped create SOStain – a sustainability registry for Sicilian viticulture created in 2010 and in concordance with VIVA (sustainability in Italian viticulture) – which allows measurement and certification of sustainability initiatives through rigorous scientific indicators to protect the land for future generations. He is a director of the Consorzio di Tutela Vini Doc Sicilia, which promotes Sicilian wine, its area of production and takes an active role in the winemaking and growing of its members, sharing best practices and trying to improve Sicilian wine.
 He gives back to the wine community of Sicily.

He joins the show to talk about his own business but mainly as a director of the Sicilia DOC.  

In the show we cover:

• Alberto Tasca d’Almerita's  family history in Sicily
• The cultural differences and similarities of Sicily and mainland Italy.
• The close connection between Sicilians and Sicilian Americans
• Alberto gives us an overview of the entire terrain of Sicily – its climate, various terrains, and how incredibly diverse this huge island really is.
• We discuss the variety of grapes here, focusing on the indigenous grapes of Sicily like Lucido, Nero d’Avola, Perricone and others
• Alberto tells us about his role in starting the SOStain Sicilia Foundation and about the importance of real sustainability in wine
• We discuss the Sicilia DOC – why it was formed, the goals of the appellation, and why it is so important to the future of Sicilian wine.

Photo: Courtesy of Tasca d'Almerita

For more information, visit the winesofsicily.com and https://www.tascadalmerita.it/en/ and don't forget to watch the Wines of Sicily Part 1 Class on YouTube!

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Valpolicella is a famed red wine region in the foothills north of the city of Verona. This area has been making wine since the time of the Ancient Greeks, whose legacy is kept alive by the common practice drying grapes to concentrate the flavors in the finished wines.

Photo: Valpolicella, from Unsplash

We covered this with Filippo Bartolotta in episode 317, but after a conversation with M.C. Ice it became clear to me that he needed to hear the info again. It's an important wine region and it's complex, so we decided to do our version and get anyone up to speed who may also still be a little confounded about these wines! 

There is much to uncover about this region, the “Valley of Many Cellars”, as it translates. The huge area makes so much wine under so many different sub-regions and areas, but not all are created equally. Even the famed and rather new wine, Amarone della Valpolicella, which has enjoyed enormous popularity in the last 20 years, isn’t all amazing. In this show, we will take you on the full tour of the region – examining what is here, the essential components of terroir, and how to get the wines you like from this multi-faceted, diverse, and very confusing Italian region.

Here are the show notes:

We give an overview of the region:

• Valpolicella borders Lake Garda/Bardolino to the west, abuts the Lessini Mountains (part of Venetian Pre-Alps) in the north, and opens to a wide valley in the east.
• The historical area of Valpolicella winemaking is in the Monti Lessini hills but the area is much bigger due to an enlargement in 1968